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   Pastor Hans Anderson was born and raised in Omaha Nebraska. He attended two ELCA Colleges; Waldorf 1991-92 (Forest City, IA) and Augustana 1993-94 (Sioux Falls, SD), majoring in Fitness Administration.  From 1994-97, he worked as a Tentmaker-Trained Youth Director in Pearl River, NY, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. From 1997-2000, he began working as a Health and Wellness Director at the Council Bluffs YMCA and working part-time youth ministry for home church, St. Paul’s in Millard, NE. Pastor Anderson attended Luther Seminary from 2001-2004, interned in Silverton, OR; and graduated, ordained, and installed in early 2005, where he was called to serve at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brainerd, MN. There, he served for 17 years as Associate Pastor and resigned in April of 2022. He received a call to pulpit-supply preach in January of 2023 at First Lutheran in Pine River. On May 7, 2023, he was installed as pastor of First Lutheran by Bishop Amy Odgren.  He looks forward to his pastoral ministry adventure here!

   Anderson has a wife, Erin, who serves as Executive Director of Clearwater Forest Bible Camp near Deerwood. A son, Karlton, who will be graduating from Brainerd High School and attending Luther College in Decorah, IA, in the fall. A daughter, Kaya, who just got her driver’s license and will be a Junior at Brainerd High School next fall. The Andersons are excited about their new family endeavor in Pine River!

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