Pastors

Meet the Pastors

Be shepherds of the church of God,

which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:28b NIV

Pastor Timothy Hartwig

Timothy Hartwig was born in Brisbane, Australia, in 1973, and grew up on a family farm. He developed a strong work ethic by working alongside his family as they planted, harvested, and sold crops. He attended grade school and high school in Gympie, Australia, and proceeded to Brisbane University to pursue a Bachelor's of Mining Engineering.
After his graduation from Brisbane University in 1991, he worked as an underground mining engineer in various parts of Australia. After four years of working hard and saving money, he followed the Lord's call to study for the ministry. Because the Australian Lutheran church is small and has no seminary, that required that he travel to the United States.
In August of 1996 he arrived in the United States and began study at Bethany Lutheran College and Theological Seminary in Mankato, MN. Along with many lifelong friendships found among the college and seminary students, he met his future bride, Katie, a graduate of Bethany Lutheran College. They were married in 2000 and moved to Arizona where Tim vicared for Family of God Lutheran Church in Fort Mojave, AZ, and Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City. He received his pastor call in May 2001 to Our Saviour, and became our fulltime pastor in a service of Ordination the following month.
As a family, the Hartwigs serve the Lord together. The counseling, Bible Instruction Classes, Catechism classes, and other aspects of his teaching ministry have helped Pastor Hartwig connect with all types of residents in Lake Havasu City. As a Lutheran pastor, he places highest importance on the Word of God, as he strives to deliver faithfully through his Sunday sermons. Katie serves the church and her family through her work as a stay-at-home mother, church musician, and occasionally ironing Tim's shirts.
Pastor and Katie have been blessed with four children - Rebekah, Lydia, and Abigail, and Caleb. Rebekah and Lydia are blessed to attend Our Saviour Lutheran School. They love to sing praises to their Saviour in the school choir and junior choir. The whole family enjoys traveling, working together, reading, the outdoors, and learning about the fantastic things God has done for his people.

Assistant Pastor James Wuebben

Pastor Wuebben is a native of Wisconsin, where his father held various Lutheran pastorates. He received his preparatory training at Concordia College, Milwaukee, graduating in 1951. His professional training was received at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Following a year of vicarage at Bethany Lutheran Church, Omaha, NE, he was graduated in 1956.
Pastor Wuebben's first charge was as missionary in Pocatello, ID. There, Faith Lutheran congregation was formed and a new church was built. While there he also served as a campus pastor at Idaho State College. He then accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church at Hastings, NE. At Hastings he served on the Southern NE District Stewardship Committee. In 1964 he accepted a call to Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Spokane, WA. During his pastorate there, a new house of worship was built; the congregation also became self-supporting. The last year there he was a member of the NW District Welfare Committee. Pastor Wuebben then accepted a call to Grace Lutheran, Milwaukee, WI, a time when his widowed mother became legally blind and it was important for him to be near her. In 1971 he was installed as pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, also serving students at UW-LaCrosse. While serving parishes in WI, he served the Southern WI District as member of the Evangelism Committee. At that time Pastor Wuebben was instrumental in starting a new mission in Onalask, WI.
In 1980 he was installed as pastor at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL. In 1986 he accepted a call to Zion Lutheran, Bismarck, ND. In December of 1993, Wuebben joined the ministerium of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. he originally was chosen to be an interim pastor, serving Family of God, Bullhead City, AZ during their vacancy. He decided to accept a permanent call to Pinehurst Lutheran, Eau Claire, WI to be near family members living in Wisconsin. Upon retirement in Eau Claire, Pastor Jim served at Zion Lutheran, Peshtigo, WI as visitation pastor to the elderly and nursing home residents. He then agreed to serve as assistant pastor for St. Matthew's, Beaver, WI and Grace, Crivitz, WI. Presently, Pastor Wuebben assists at Our Saviour, Lake Havasu City, AZ, where he was honored for 50 years in our Lord's service on November 12, 2006. He and his wife Esther reside in Arizona for six months of the year and then return to their home in Peshtigo, WI.
Pastor Jim married Esther on June 23, 1956. Esther is a graduate of St. John's Lutheran College. She has been a parochial school teacher, art teacher and musician. The Wuebbens have four married children and 14 grandchildren - 7 boys and 7 girls.