Meet The Pastors

All of us at Ascension Lutheran are here to assist you in your journey of faith and to help you grow in your understanding of God’s love for you. It is our privilege to welcome and serve you as partners in the ministry of Jesus Christ. If you would like to contact us, or if there’s any other way we can serve you, please email us or give us a call at 805-495-0406.

Pastor Tim Delkeskamp

 

The Reverend Dr. Timothy Delkeskamp serves as Senior Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church, School and Foundation. His installation took place March 19, 2017, after an 18-month call process and a congregation-wide vote. For the previous 13 1/2 years, Pastor Tim served as an associate pastor at Ascension. Pastor Tim was born in Brea, California, and raised in North Orange County. He graduated from California Lutheran University and Luther Seminary. After serving at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo, CA, for five years, he accepted the call to come to Ascension. He earned his doctorate from Luther Seminary in Minnesota in 2014. In addition to focusing on Worship, Life Groups, Evangelism/Outreach, Men’s Ministry and Stewardship at Ascension, he is on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County. His wife Chamie, a Methodist pastor, is Ascension Lutheran School’s religion teacher and coordinator of chapel. Their children are Aidan, Jude and Hannah. Their family mission statement is “to do kindness, love justice and walk humbly with their Lord.” (Micah 6:8)

 

Pastor Julie McCain

Pastor Julie is a Southern California native who went to CLU and Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and moved back in 2018. She served for 4 years in Marshall, MN, and is enjoying thawing out from the cold!  She is Ascension’s Children, Youth, and Family Pastor, and appreciates the chance to equip families to do faith together. Pastor Julie is tasked with intentionally re-thinking our children, youth, and family programs.  Most of all, she enjoys learning a person’s story and really getting to know them, and she would love to get to know you over coffee (or tea!); if you’re a parent wondering if Ascension is the right place for your family, why not take her up on that offer?  Pastor Julie has fun teaching confirmation and connecting with children, youth, and families of all ages. She has also lived in Seattle, Washington, Anchorage, Alaska, and in Chiang Mai, Thailand and loves all things multicultural, as well as gardening, reading, and hiking. Pastor Julie is eternally grateful to CLU, as she met her husband Brannon while they were high school students attending a synod event there. She values authenticity and appreciates Ascension for carving out space where we can all be real about our struggles and our faith, and do faith together.

 

Pastor Steve Herder

 

Pastor Steve was born in Minnesota, raised in Wisconsin and graduated from Wartburg College and Wartburg Seminary in Iowa. After serving congregations in La Porte City and Mason City, Iowa, he served for seventeen years at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Whittier. He has served at Ascension since 2007 with a focus on Senior Adult Ministries. He is the pastoral advisor to the Prayer Team, the Global Ministries Team, and the Community Concerns Committee. He also enjoys doing some music with our Early Childhood Center, teaching Biblical Hebrew and leading mission trips to Peru. Beyond the congregation he serves the synod on the hunger and green faith ministry teams. He served for nine years with the Jubilee USA Network board. He and his wife Julie and their daughter Natalie love living in Newbury Park and enjoying God’s beautiful creation! His passion for ministry is that we all be “people of prayer, lifelong learners, faithful witnesses and world servants for Christ.”