Pastor David Tinker has served as our pastor since April 2012. Beginning in September 2016 Pastor Tinker began serving also as the pastor of Waldeck Evangelical Lutheran Church near Ledbetter, Texas. This is part of a new shared ministry arrangement between MLLC and the Waldeck Church. He has served as a pastor in Lutheran Churches for over 28 years.
He has served previous congregations in Ohio, Florida and Indiana. A graduate of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, and the University of Texas at Austin, he was ordained as a Lutheran Pastor on June 9, 1994. Prior to attending seminary he worked at KUHT – Channel 8 – Houston PBS. Pastor Tinker is married to Deaconess Jennifer Tinker, and they have two sons together, an 18 year old and a 4 year old. Jennifer was consecrated as a Lutheran Deaconess through the Lutheran Deaconess Assocation in 2001. Her current, primary area of service is parenting their sons, leading the Treehouse Lutheran Campus Ministry Board, and as a Spiritual Director. She is creative with writing, painting, music, and other arts.
Pastor David Tinker grew up in the Spring Branch area of Houston, Texas, and some of his family still live in the Houston area He finds great joy in seeing people grow as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Pastor David Tinker celebrated his 20th Anniversary of Ordination in 2014. The people of MLLC graciously held a reception in honor of this special anniversary. The reception was on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2014, which was the closest day to his ordination anniversary. A 25th Anniversary event was held on June 9, 2019. This was on the actual anniversary date. A commemorative plaque was presented to him on that day.
This is Pastor David Tinker with his wife and son on the day of his 20th Anniversary of Ordination in 2014.
Here is Pastor David Tinker (left) with Pastor Chris Markert (right) when Pastor Markert was he was visiting MLLC on behalf of the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod ELCA. This visit was on Sunday, September 17, 2017. Pastor Markert serves as the Mission Catalyst (Director for Evangelical Mission) for our synod.
This is Pastor David Tinker (left) with Pastor Pedro Suárez (right), who was, at that time, the Director for Evangelical Mission, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod ELCA. This was taken when Pastor Suárez visited MLLC in November 2013. Pastor Suárez currently serves as the Bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, ELCA.