About Tim: Tim Baldinger, born and raised in Livonia, Michigan, attended Lutheran High School West graduating in 1966. The following fall, he entered the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He graduated in 1970 with the B.A. degree, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. Those four years in college were filled with 'adventures' that require a beer or two and some leisure time to swap stories and rekindle old friendships.

Following graduation from U. of M., and in the context of a marriage engagement that never reached fruition, the choice was to be drafted and serve in Viet Nam, or continue with some form of post graduate education. He chose the latter and entered the Lutheran Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. At this point, becoming a pastor was not exactly what he had in mind. But an astute uncle, who was attending the seminary as a second career choice, saw that Tim was pretty confused about his future and suggested he give the seminary a try. Having enjoyed some psychology and philosophy of religion classes, and with parents and a younger brother growing deeper in their faith, and not relishing leaving his betrothed to serve in Viet Nam, he decided to give it a whirl. Well, you might say that God got him just where He wanted him. There is much more to that story as well ... but it will require another beer, or ... how about a toasted almond?

While at the seminary, he had met his bride to be, Linda Sue Lose, at the very end of the school year - May 22nd 1973 to be exact. Sue, as she likes to be called, was attending the seminary just the spring quarter that year, focusing on foreign mission work. It was a rather unceremonious meeting. With the year at the end, she invited a group of guys sitting around the lunch table to dinner to help her "clean out her refrigerator." Tim just happened to be in that group of guys ... and he, as it turned out, was the only one to show up for the dinner. That was a God-thing, and it will take a breezy and balmy spring evening on the deck of a condo overlooking the ocean to hear all of that story. But the bottom line is, they met May 22nd, went on their first date two days later when he took her out for her birthday, and we were married on September 1st of that same year ... after a little more than a 3 month courtship and a 45 day engagement. They will celebrate their 40th Anniversary September 1, 2013.

Now just so that your imaginations don't run away with you, their first child was born December 24, 1977. - But that is jumping ahead a bit. Newly married, he and his bride spent a year in Denver, Colorado for Tim's internship or vicarage, returned to the seminary in the fall of 1974, and then he graduated with a Masters of Divinity in the spring of 1975. Then began the adventure of the pastorate.

His first Call was to Faith Lutheran Church in Sweetwater, Texas - a town of about 12,000. Though quite a culture shock for someone born and raised in the Detroit area and a wife from Louisville, Kentucky, they grew to love the town, the church and the people. They would spend five years there during which time, their first two children were born - Michael on December 24, 1977 and Mindy on October 6, 1980.

With Mindy barely a month old, Tim accepted a Call to begin a church in Amarillo, Texas, population around 160,000. They moved to Amarillo in November of 1980 and spent the next 2 years developing the mission and the following 9 years pastoring the church that it became - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. During this time, their youngest son, Matthew, a real 'surprise' gift from God, was born on June 30, 1986.

After a little more than eleven years in Amarillo, Tim accepted a Call in January of 1992 to pastor Messiah Lutheran Church is Charlotte, N.C., and it is there that he still serves - 20 plus years. It has been a wonderful church in which to serve and he will remain there until he retires sometime in the next 3 or 4 years. His children have grown up now, and he and his wife enjoy 2 grandsons - Brandon, born June 29, 2010 and Cooper born July 22, 2011, children of his oldest, Michael and his wife Robin.