The Rev. Arne Bergland Named Church Relations Director

The Rev. Arne Bergland, pastor of Spanaway Lutheran Church in Washington since 2000, is the new Director of Church Relations for California Lutheran University.

Bergland received a bachelor's degree in theatre arts from Augsburg College in Minneapolis in 1977 and a Master of Divinity in 1985 from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul.

The new director has 28 years of experience working within the church. He has served in leadership positions at the synod, regional and national levels and recently completed three years as board president for the Associated Ministries of Pierce County in Washington. He also was an associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Mason City, Iowa; St. Paul's Lutheran in Missoula, Mont.; and Zion and Deer Creek Lutheran in Glendive, Mont.

In his new position, Bergland will work to sustain and expand CLU's relationships within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. His main focus will be the five synods and 731 congregations in Region II. He also will work closely with CLU's Office of Campus Ministry, Segerhammar Center for Faith and Culture, and Religion Department.

Bergland and his wife, Susan, have two college-aged daughters, one of whom is a junior at CLU.