Pastor Mark Jensen grew up in Southeast Iowa, around Cedar Rapids and the Amana Colonies. He attended Dana College in Blair, NE near Omaha, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech and Theater. He then went on to Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA receiving his Master’s Degree in Theology.

Parishes Pastor has served include:

Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE 1989-1991 Associate Pastor

Zion and Trinity Lutheran Churches in Benedict and Polk, NE 1991-1996 

Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids, Dell Rapids, SD 1996-2001 Associate Pastor

First Lutheran Church in Beaver Dam, WI 2001-2017 Associate then became Senior Pastor

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Hamburg, PA 2017-present

Pastor Jensen joined the Hamburg Rotary Club in 2017. He’s currently serving as President Elect. 

He’s also served as a volunteer chaplain for the police and fire departments while in Wisconsin. In addition, he served on the Church Health Services Board in Wisconsin, which provided medical, dental and mental health services for the underinsured. 

Other organizations Pastor Jensen has been member of include the Optimist Club, Toastmasters, and Lutheran Engage Encounter Clergy presenter with his wife, Karla. 

Pastor and Karla have written and published a number of Lenten, Nativity and other dramas through Contemporary Drama Services. 

His passions and hobbies include: Music (especially the Monkees, the Beatles, Phil Keaggy, The Proclaimers, Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, and more), travel, biking, exercising, writing, reading, and shopping. He’s also a huge Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Pirates fan, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Dr. Who fan. He enjoys live concerts and theater as well as movies. 

Karla, his wife, attended the same college as Pastor and enjoyed choir, radio, and campus ministry. She majored in Speech/Theater and Communications/Broadcasting. She’s enjoyed a career in television, radio, and magazine publishing and owned her own advertising agency. In Wisconsin, she obtained her real estate license, and served as the Exec. Director for the area arts center. She also worked at an international preparatory high school as the Outreach and Auxiliary Program Director. Karla currently works as a regional sales manager for Sorrelli Jewelry in Kutztown, PA. She is a writer and has led writing groups. She is the author of two  published books, “Nobody’s Hero,” and “Inner Rhythm.” 

Pastor and Karla have 3 children. Micah (27) graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. Micah lives in Lafayette, CO and works for the City of Boulder making trails, stone masonry, and landscaping. Isaac (24) graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He is currently working in an upscale wine store in Nashville and a drummer in a band. Kamilla (22) graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH. She works for the community theater in Solon, OH near Cleveland teaching and directing elementary and middle school students.