Pastor
Meet Our Pastor, Timothy E. Sowers
Pastor and Chaplain Timothy E. Sowers, born in 1958, is a native of Atchison, Kansas, where he attended both elementary and high school. He later graduated from Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and entered the Seminary at Concordia in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as Vicar at Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI. He was ordained in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, 1985. He served as Parish Pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Olmsted, Illinois (1985 – 1987), and Eternal Trinity Lutheran Church, Milton Florida (1988-1991). Additionally, he completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education as a Chaplain Resident in Birmingham, Alabama (1987-1988). Pastor Sowers was commissioned a Chaplain First Lieutenant in the United States Army 1991. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2013 after 22 years of active duty service. Most recently, he has served in parish ministry at Panama City Beach, Florida, and Vacancy Pastor for Resurrection Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran in Pensacola, FL, and part-time hospice Chaplain for Emerald Coast Hospice, Milton FL.
While serving as Chaplain, he deployed to Afghanistan (2009-2010) and twice to Iraq (2005-2006 & 2007-2008). Additionally, he provided pastor care to Infantry, Artillery, Signal, and numerous support units in Germany and Korea as well as installations in the United States, including Fort Benning, GA, Fort Stewart, GA, Fort Hood, TX, and Fort Polk, LA. He retired as Deputy Command Chaplain for the Army Material Command, Huntsville, AL. His awards and decorations include two Bronze Stars, five Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, and Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (5th award), NATO Medal, Honor Graduate, Family Life Training (Fort Hood, TX), Military Outstanding Volunteer of the Year (Mannheim, Germany), Order of Titus (U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains), Order of Saint Martin of Tours (Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod) and numerous other certificates and awards.
Pastor Sowers holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri; Masters in Counseling Psychology, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas; Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma; Education Specialist Degree from the University of West Florida, Pensacola FL; and Bachelors in Liberal Arts from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. His military education includes a Military Science degree from the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Combined Arms Service Staff School, Division Chaplains Course, and numerous other required training events and mandatory military education. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education Program at the University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida.
Pastor Sowers is married to the former Kim Schwarz of Torrance, California, since 1978. Kim is a Physical Education Teacher at Rhodes Elementary School.