From the Burlington Times-News on Saturday, 12/10/05

Church welcomes Lutheran pastor

Times-News

On Sunday, Dec. 4, Redeemer Lutheran Church had a welcome service for the Rev. David Tessmann to install him as the new pastor. Pastor Tessmann graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Ill., and met his wife, Janet, while doing his Vicarage at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Fraser, Michigan (1967-68). He was ordained at Grace Lutheran Church in Clarksville, Tenn.
Their first son, Jonathan, was born in 1970 in Dothan, Ala. Their daughter, Kimberly, was born in Blytheville in 1973. In 1975, David was called by the Missouri Synod to represent them as a missionary to members of the armed forces as an Army chaplin. David was first commissioned in Blytheville in June 1975. His first assignment was at Ft. Bliss, Texas — while there he received his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary. In June of 1978, he served as chaplin to the 8th Army Drug and Alcohol Rehab Clinic at Camp Case, Republic of Korea. Their second son, James, was born in Hawaii in 1978 while David was assistant division artillery chaplain at Schofield Barracks. Through theological training and chaplin service, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and also became chief of the Administrative Division at USACHCS. In 1966, he retired from the Army and accepted a call to be pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Texas City, Texas, where he served for nine years.
He retired from active ministry on Oct. 31, 2005. David and his wife, Janet, and daughter, Kim, moved to Burlington in November when he accepted the position at Redeemer Lutheran Church as emeritus pastor. David is also enrolled in the doctor of ministry program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri.
Redeemer Lutheran Church is located at 2306 Lacy St., Burlington. Sunday Bible class is at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. worship service and Wednesday 7:30 p.m., Advent service.