Rev. Travis Ferguson, Worship leader
Travis Ferguson is the Senior Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church & School in La Mesa, California, where he has served since January 2019. Prior to that, he served as Associate Pastor at both Christ Lutheran in La Mesa and Grace Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
In addition to parish ministry, Pastor Travis has extensive experience in chaplaincy. He has served as a police and fire chaplain for agencies in Missouri and Tennessee, and since 2014, he has been a Chaplain in the United States Air Force. From July 2021 to January 2022, he deployed to the Middle East in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD, ENDURING SENTINEL, and ALLIES REFUGE—the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in American history.
His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Service Medal with one service star, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal with one service star.
Beyond his pastoral and military service, Pastor Travis serves on the Board of Directors for the Lutheran Mission Society San Diego, which helps churches connect with their local communities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Behavioral Science from Concordia University, Seward (NE), and a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (MO). He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Concordia Seminary.
He and his wife, Amy, have been married since 2015 and are the proud parents of two energetic sons, Luca (7) and Levi (4), who keep life very… busy.
Rev. Timothy unke, Worship liturgist
Born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Pastor Timothy A. Unke carries a rich theological heritage as the son of a WELS pastor, Glenn Unke, and great-grandson of WELS seminary President August Pieper (Mequon), who was the brother of LCMS seminary President Francis/Franz Pieper (St. Louis), and LCMS seminary President Reinhold Pieper (Springfield). His early years unfolded across the heartland of Wisconsin in Oshkosh and Manitowoc. He graduated from Manitowoc Lutheran High School and earned his B.A. from Northwestern College in Watertown, WI, in 1978, followed by his Master of Divinity from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI, in 1984. His ongoing studies have led him across continents from the Reformation-soaked soil of eastern Germany to the archaeological-rich soil of ancient Israel.
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Before stepping into the full-time pastoral ministry, Unke taught history and religion at three area Lutheran high schools in Wisconsin. He was ordained in 1984 and was assigned to Peace Lutheran in Eagle River, Alaska, from where he launched initiatives like “Juneau Jumpstart,” a rotating evangelism effort, utilizing Alaska pastors to plant seeds of faith in the capital city until a full-time shepherd could be called. In 1992, he became Mission Developer for Trinity Lutheran in Woodbridge, Virginia, founding both Precious Lambs Learning Center and Trinity Christian Academy—ministries that quickly grew to serve nearly 250 students and served as bridges to the unchurched community.
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In 2001, he accepted a Call to Trinity Lutheran in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. A decade later, his family relocated across the country once again to Orange County, California, where he became the first Campus Pastor at Crean Lutheran High School in 2015. That same year, he completed his colloquy into the LCMS.
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Unke married Laura Pankow in 1985. A fellow Lutheran educator and graduate of Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN, Laura has taught in schools across the country, from Alaska to Virginia. Together, they’ve raised four children and recently celebrated 40 years of marriage.
