Pastor Hans E. Becklin is passionate about leading vibrant worship, preaching and teaching the good news of God’s love and grace, and evangelism that brings people to a deep and personal understanding of this good news. As a pastor, he enjoys taking an active role in leading the congregation, especially administration, stewardship, and long-term planning.
Born and raised in Madison, Wis., from childhood Pastor Hans has had a deep love for the Lutheran Church and its unique witness as a church that is both Catholic (rooted in the sacraments and the tradition of the apostles) and Evangelical (rooted in a love for the gospel, with a desire to preach it and spread it).
He has served on many boards and committees on the synodical and churchwide level, most notably as a member of the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America from 2013-2019. An ecumenist, Pastor Hans also served as the ELCA’s representative to the Moravian Church in America from 2014 to 2019. Since 2022 he has served as a trustee of Portico Benefits Services, which provides retirement and insurance solutions to the ELCA.
Called to serve as Senior Pastor of Trinity in October 2023, Pastor Hans has served congregations in Lititz, Pa., the suburbs of Milwaukee, and Chicago.
A lover of church history, theology, music, and art, he studied for ordination at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago as a Presidential Scholar, receiving an M.Div. Pastor Hans also holds a B.A. in History, summa cum laude, from Luther College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 2016, he won the A. R. Wentz Prize for best historical work on American Lutheran History.
Pastor Hans is married to Pastor Marissa Becklin, who serves at Faith United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denver, Pa. They presently live in Ephrata, Pa. as they search for their forever home in Berks County.
