My favorite part of the Bible is Exodus 33. You can come and ask me why sometime and I’d be happy to give you the full story. But for now, I want to share verse 14 with you: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

That was God’s promise to Moses. And a promise Jesus extends to us as well: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

This promise was dear to me when I graduated from Martin Luther College and got married in 2013. It was dear to my wife Calista and I as we traveled to East Asia as missionaries. It was dear to me as I returned to finish my pastoral education at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and was assigned to Native American Missions in San Carlos, Arizona. In 5 years of being a pastor, I’ve been very thankful for the rest that the Lord provides to people. God has given me rest when I needed it, and I’ve had the privilege of sharing that rest with others as they’ve faced the challenges of their lives.

I look forward to sharing God’s gospel rest with the people of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church and with the Lodi community.

-Pastor Tim Leistekow



Left: Pastor Tim and his family