Born in Chicago, Pastor David Petersen grew up in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. His father was a Lutheran pastor/social worker at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. He has one sister, Rebecca.
He graduated from Carthage College with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Education. He spent his junior year in Germany where he met his future wife Susan. Susan is a special education teacher in Chicago area. Susan and David have been married 36 years. They have two grown sons, John and Mathew.
Church life has included over 25 years active as a leader in the PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) homeless shelter program; Confirmation small group leader; two call committees; capital campaign for building and organ; social ministry committee; mission trip to Mexico; vision formation committee; and small group adult Bible study.
David’s previous career was in the specialized construction field of concrete cutting, until the Holy Spirit made it clear he was called to something else.
He enrolled in the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, in Hyde Park, in September of 2013, graduating with a Master’s of Divinity in 2018. His field education included Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at a Trauma one Center hospital, where he was assigned to the Emergency Room. His Ministry in Context (MIC) was at a local church, where he was engaged with worship leadership, preaching, adult education, funerals, and church committee life. His internship was at a large church in the western suburbs where he concentrated on pastoral care, teaching and worship leadership.
David and Susan currently reside in the Northwest suburbs.