Community Lutheran installs new pastor

Over 440 people packed the Sanctuary of Community Lutheran Church in Escondido on Sunday, April 24 at 4 p.m. for the installa­tion of the Rev. Bob Hiller as the new Senior Pastor.

The occasion was much anticipat­ed for the church, which had spent eight months in the call process reviewing and interviewing pasto­ral candidates from the Lutheran- Church-Missouri-Synod.

The Rev. Hiller is preceded by founding pastor Dr. Charles Ke­turakat, the Rev. William R. Vogel­sang Jr. who retired last August, and the Rev. Thomas Meyer who served as Interim Pastor.

Pastor Hiller graduated in 2002 from Concordia University in Irvine with a Bachelors of Arts in Theo­logical Studies. He continued his pastoral education through Concor­dia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri and served his year of vicarage at Peace Lutheran Church in Arvada, Colorado.

He graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 2006 and was ordained on July 9, 2006. He has served as pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Moorpark, California where he has lived for the past 10 years with wife Stephanie and their three young children, Sophie, Mark, and Timo­thy. His pastoral strengths include discipleship ministries, Bible stud­ies, and home visits. In his spare time, Pastor Hiller enjoys sports and the outdoors.

The installation service for the Rev. Bob Hiller was held at the Community Lutheran Church’s campus in Escondido with much fanfare. The Rev. Joel Beyer, who serves as Associate Pastor of Com­munity Lutheran Church, opened the service and welcomed all who were attending from near and far. Among the audience were 20 pastors, in­cluding Rev. Hiller’s own father the Rev. Michael Hiller of Peace With Christ Luther­an Church in Aurora, Col­orado, who preached the sermon, “Trust in the Lord.”

Each pastor shared a personal blessing and laid hands on the Rev. Hiller in prayer. Special music was provided by the church’s Adult Choir, Hand Bell Choir, and Or­chestra led by Music Direc­tor Jeffrey Johnson. The rite of instal­lation was performed by Pacific South West District Vice- President Rev. Kevin Kritzer.

Following the service, the church’s high school youth group, led by Director of Christian Edu­cation Jim Meyer, put on a family- friendly reception with street tacos, churros, quesadillas, tissue-paper flower decorations, and an inflatable bounce house.

As Senior Pastor of Community, Pastor Hiller will preach, teach, and oversee ministries at Community Lutheran Church campuses in both Escondido and San Marcos. Com­munity Lutheran Church welcomes the local community to join them in worship on Sundays at 7:45 and 10 a.m. at their Escondido Campus at 3575 East Valley Pkwy or at 9:30 a.m. at their San Marcos campus at 340 Rancheros Dr. Suite 160. For more information, call the church office at 760-739-1650 or visit www.clcfamily.org.