The Rev. Erik Christensen serves as Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois. A graduate of Macalester College, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Pastor Erik has spent nearly two decades in parish ministry and theological education, most recently as Pastor to the Community and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Pastor Erik has served in a variety of ministry contexts, including redevelopment parish ministry and seminary leadership. He has served on the boards of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, and the Beatitudes Society (now Justice Ministry Education at Auburn Seminary). A frequent contributor to the Sundays and Seasons liturgical resource series from Augsburg Fortress, Pastor Erik brings a deep commitment to justice, inclusion, and public witness. His ministry is shaped by a belief that worship rehumanizes us and forms us for life in community and in the world. He draws on Lutheran liturgical and theological traditions to help people encounter God’s grace in meaningful, embodied ways.

At Trinity, Pastor Erik is guiding a season of renewal, inviting the congregation to rediscover its mission of transforming lives by living the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is especially passionate about preaching, congregational singing, pastoral care, and building up the leadership of others.

Erik lives in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago with his husband Kerry and their dog Matilda. He is a singer, an avid gamer, a lover of good conversation and strong coffee.