Trinity Lutheran Church & School

Emile Burgess

In 2007, Trinity decided to call a Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduate as an associate Pastor to help focus the congregation's efforts in the areas of Outreach and Technology. The Holy Spirit, through the Wisconsin Synod’s Assignment Committee, called Seminary graduate Emile Burgess, originally from Sacramento, California. Pastor Burgess did not grow up a Lutheran, but in a different Christian denomination where the gospel was not explicitly emphasized. However, the Holy Spirit had been planting gospel seeds all throughout his life and especially throughout his high school years. In his first year at a community college, he attended a campus Bible study several times. It was there that God brought saving faith to life, through the courageous sharing of the saving gospel with him. He took a Bible basics class at a Wisconsin Synod (WELS) Lutheran church and found the pastors very knowledgable and nurturing. He joined St. Mark's Lutheran in Citrus Heights, California and several years later decided to study for the public ministry. It was at Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minnesota) that he met his bride, Rachel. They married halfway through his second (Middler) year at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (Mequon, Wisconsin). Pastor Burgess considers it a great privilege to serve the saints at Trinity, Caledonia. They have been a great blessing to him and he looks forward to continuing to serve them in future years with God’s Word and Sacraments and to reaching out into our community to Share Christ. December 2004 - Married Rachel Perry at Abiding Word, Houston, TX 2005 - 2006 - Vicar (Intern Pastor) at St. John’s Lutheran, Hastings, MN 2007 - Present - Pastor at Trinity, Caledonia