REV. DONALD NEISWENDER

Rev. Donald R. Neiswender was born on August 28, 1933, in Hershey, PA. He experienced a conversion to faith in Christ at his place of work, through the witness of a co-worker, in 1952. He then began a search for a Church Home, which ended with entrance into the Lutheran Church while serving in the U. S. Army. After discharge he completed his B. A. at Valparaiso University, IN, and his M. Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary at Fort Wayne. His first divine call was to service as a missionary to Japan where he founded a new Lutheran parish in Tachikawa, a suburb of Tokyo. He also completed his Master of Sacred Theology at Sophia University, a Jesuit institution, and also a M.A. in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

He is married to Janice. They have six children, eight grandchildren, and one great grand-child, scattered around America. They live in Brighton, MI.

After service in Japan, Pastor Neiswender served St. Paul, Ann Arbor for three years. At that time the Sisters of Mercy asked him to become the first non-Catholic staff Chaplain at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor. He accepted the position from which he retired after 23 years. After 10 years as Intentional Interim Pastor for the Michigan District, he became an Assisting Pastor at Historic Trinity in 2006.

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