Hi, my name is Pastor Trey Rienstra, and I would like to tell you a little about my background.
I married my wonderful and loving wife, Brenda Kretschmar, on July 19, 1980. We have three beautiful children. Jenna and her husband James Willingham live in Katy, Texas with our four grandchildren. My second daughter Courtney is married to Dean Kaspar, and they live with our two grandchildren in Magnolia, Texas. My son Jacob is married to Sofia. They live in Dallas, Texas and just had their first child in February of 2017.
I was born on September 20, 1960 in Nederland, Texas. I graduated from Nederland High School in 1978 and went to work for The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Beaumont, Texas. While working at Goodyear, I attended Lamar University in Beaumont, completing an Associate’s Degree in Instrumentation and Electrical Work and ultimately earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering. In 2004, I resigned from Goodyear after 25 years of service and began my quest to become a pastor.
It is interesting how God called me to be a pastor. I went to church one Sunday in 2002 and heard a sermon about the need for more pastors to serve. I did not pay a lot of attention at first, but the thought kept surfacing in my mind. So, I did a little research and in 2003, my wife and I went to a “Shepherds of God’s Flock” retreat at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. This retreat was designed to give interested people an opportunity to see the campus and talk with professors and students about their experiences. It was at the end of this retreat that both my wife and I decided to pursue my becoming a pastor. I knew I had a great job, but I couldn’t deny God’s calling to become a pastor and make an eternal difference in people’s lives. I also knew this call to become a pastor was not going away, even after a couple of years.
So, I attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating from seminary in 2008. I was placed as sole pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Centerville, Texas of the same year. I was pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church until I accepted a call from Genesis Lutheran Church in December 2015 to be their pastor. Brenda and I moved to Buchanan Dam on January 1, 2016.
I love the Lord and strive to bring more people into His kingdom for eternity. My greatest joy is to see people learning of His love, joy and peace for the first time. I have a personal approach to ministry and enjoy engaging with people in good times and trying times. Each day is a new beginning in Christ, and my goal is to continue to point people to the waiting arms of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have enjoyed my first year as pastor of Genesis Lutheran, and the people of Genesis have a big heart with a lot of love to share. But don’t take my word for it, I invite you to come and visit us one Sunday and experience their love for yourself. May God bless all of you, and we hope to see you soon!