Pastor & Leadership

Pastor – Pastor Kurt Christenson

The Rev. Kurt Robert Christenson holds a BA in Philosophy and English from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN 1983, and received his MDiv from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA 1988.

He was ordained into the ministry of the ELCA by Bishop J. Roger Anderson at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Los Angeles on August 13, 1989. He served two congregations in redevelopment, supported by the ELCA Division for Outreach, now Renewing Congregations: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Ojai, CA 1989-1998 and Bethesda Lutheran Church, Springfield, MA 1999-2006. He served as the Interim at Lutheran Church of the Master, Lancaster, CA 2007-2008 and the Senior Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church and School 2008-2018.

First Lutheran Church - Pastor Darryl

Director of Music Jared Jacobsen

As Director of Music at First Lutheran, Jared is has an incredibly wide knowledge of sacred music within the global church. He takes time to teach and motivate as well as direct and lead our volunteer choir. He is an awesome organist and pianist and understands how much music contributes to worship.

Jared is a native of western Pennsylvania who began his keyboard study at age 5 at the historic Chautauqua Institution in New York, where is he is now Coordinator of Worship and Sacred music each summer.

A life-long protégé of the internationally known concert pianists Ozan and Patricia Benkman Marsh, Jared holds degrees in keyboard performance from Westminster College and the University of Arizona. He has served churches in every major denomination.

His concertizing has taken him throughout the United States, and to England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. In 1988, Jared was invited to the Vatican by Pope John Paul II to be an American delegate to the historic First World Congress on Church Music.

Jared also frequently shares his talents with the San Diego community as guest performer on the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park, the largest fully-outdoor instrument in the world. Whether you are a concertgoer or visitor to First Lutheran, we think you will agree that Jared creates a sense of awe and worship through his musical gifts.

First Lutheran Church of San Diego - Music Director Jared Jacobsen

2019 Church Council

  • Dick Krueger, President
  • Frank DeLouise, Vice President
  • Carol Schultz, Secretary
  • Kathryn ‘Kem’ Taylor, Treasurer
  • Anke Hartung, Financial Secretary
  • Kara Oien
  • Melinda Person
  • Marjorie Wahlsten
  • Susan White

Hannah DeMers – Church Adminstrator

Wayne Boss – Facilities & Security