Child of God. Husband of Cassie. Father of Angeline and Julia. Pastor of Trinity. I live a life of trying to keep these relationships straight! I’m what they call a second career pastor. After spending almost 10 years in the business world, my heart was drawn toward a different vocation. Cassie, the kids and I packed up from a decent life in Chicago and headed to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. There I entered and completed the Master of Divinity program, with an emphasis in new church development. My deepest personal passion lies in facilitating relationships, their development, repair and advancement. First and foremost, I’m working to center our relationship with a loving and merciful God – one who freely forgives all of our sins and invites us to live in communion with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. This primary relationship focuses the rest of our relationships with one another as we live in His community. Jesus told us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our strength, and to love one another as we love ourselves. This is my mission – to see the love of God centered in Christ Jesus lead us all to a community focused life! Other than that, I love to read, write, travel and hang with my family and friends. I’m available anytime for a beverage and a chat – just give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. May God’s peace in Christ, His richest blessing, be with you!
Reverend William (Bill) C. Cate grew up in Rockford, IL, where he graduated from Rockford Lutheran High School in 1972. He entered the US Air Force in February 1975. His Air Force background was in law enforcement, serving in a number of security police and special security units. His assignments included Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, SC; Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; the United States Air Force Academy, CO; Thule Air Base, Greenland; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, CO; Royal Air Force Bentwaters-Woodbridge, UK; and Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX. He retired from active duty as a Master Sergeant in 1995. During his Air Force career he earned the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster; among other awards and honors. Pastor Cate worked in sales and sales management for the industrial fastener industry for several years before answering God’s call to pastoral ministry in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 2002. He was ordained in 2005 and installed as the Associate Pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg, IL. He was called to Trinity Lutheran Church in Temecula, CA, in 2010, where he serves as Administrative Pastor. He and his wife Paula have been married since 1979 and they have two grown children, Seth, who is married to Shanna and serving in the US Coast Guard in Seattle; and Jessica Wood, a 2005 graduate of Valparaiso University, now residing in Boise, ID with her husband Andy. Pastor Cate holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Technical Management from Regis University, Denver, CO; and a Certificate of Ordination from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO.
Nací el 13 de Octubre de 1966 en La Habana, Cuba; donde luego de completar mis estudios primarios, secundarios y preuniversitarios, recibí educación universitaria como Licenciado en la Enseñanza de la Lengua Inglesa. Luego de mi graduación comencé mi entrenamiento pastoral como parte de la Iglesia Evangélica de Confesión Luterana en Cuba (IECLC) y más tarde como Pastor de la Iglesia Evangélica Unida en Cuba-Sínodo Luterano (IEUC-SL). Durante once (11) años me desempeñé como, ministro de la palabra y los sacramentos en la congregación de la ciudad habanera de Artemisa (Cuba), congregación donde fui llamado y ordenado al ministerio el día 6 de Agosto de 1995, por el Rev. Ramón Miguel Benito Evans y el cuerpo pastoral de la IECLC. Emigré a los Estados Unidos de América en Agosto del 2006 para contraer matrimonio y comenzar una vida nueva junto a mi esposa Andrea A Hayek. Actualmente me encuentro completando el proceso de entrada al ministerio pastoral de la Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Missouri. Nuestra misión: Ver la iglesia afirmada en Cristo y guiada a una adoración centrada en la verdad de la palabra de Dios disfrutando a plenitud de los dones de Dios y los sacramentos. Disfruto escuchar y tocar música, leer y conversar sobre la palabra de Dios. Saludos cordiales en Cristo a todos y a todas.
