Early Life & Education

Born in 1988 in Boise, Idaho, Pastor Eric Clausen was raised in a loving Lutheran home by his parents, Ken and Wendy, alongside his siblings, Daniel and Katie. During middle school, Pastor Bob Cutler, his pastor at the time, encouraged Eric to consider ministry, a recommendation that profoundly shaped his future.

Eric graduated from Concordia University, Irvine, in 2010 with a degree in History and a minor in Biblical Languages. He then attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned his Master of Divinity in 2015 and a Sacred Theology Master's in 2018.

Ministry at Christ Brea

On July 31, 2016, Eric was ordained and installed as an Assistant Pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Brea, California. He later became Co-Pastor on February 28, 2021. Since July 2024, he has been Lead Pastor.

Family

While at Concordia Irvine, Eric met Hannah, who would later become his wife. The couple married in 2016 and are proud parents to three daughters.

Teaching & Interests

Eric has a passion for teaching, particularly church history, and enjoys exploring how the faith of past Christians influences us today. He shares this enthusiasm through his podcast, The Faithful Forebearers, where he discusses the lives of Christians from history and their lessons for modern believers.

Personal Interests

In his free time, Eric enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, hiking, LEGO bricks, motorcycles, gardening, listening to podcasts, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

His favorite books include The Lord of the Rings, Little Women (as a proud "girl dad"), The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Orthodoxy, Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, and nearly anything written by C. S. Lewis.

Hope for Christ Brea

Eric's hope for Christ Lutheran Church is that it continues to be a place where people can encounter the risen Jesus, be welcomed into his family, and receive the life, forgiveness, and peace that He offers freely.

Pastoral Experience & Education

Pastor Bill Brunold has served as a full-time pastor at several local parishes, including Emmaus Lutheran Church in Alhambra (1984–1998), First Lutheran Church in Burbank (1998–2004), Trinity Lutheran Church in Norwalk (2006–2016), and most recently St. John's Lutheran Church in Montebello (2016–2024).

In 2020, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot School of Theology on the campus of Biola University in La Mirada, California.

Military Service & Chaplaincy

Bill was commissioned as a chaplain in the California Army National Guard in 1982, where he served in the 2nd Brigade, 40th Infantry Division, until transferring into the U.S. Army Reserve in 1984.

With the Reserve, he has served at several different locations, both stateside and overseas, including serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2004–2006) at Camp Arifjan, and as the 377th TSC (FWD) Command Chaplain (2004–2005) in Kuwait.

He is a highly decorated member of our armed forces, having received the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with oak leaf cluster), and several other prestigious service medals and awards.

Bill was also an Assistant Program Manager for Operation Barnabas (2013–2015), a ministry of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod's Ministry to the Armed Forces. Operation Barnabas is a network of care and outreach to military reservists and veterans, proclaiming the gospel message to those who have served this country wearing the uniform of the nation.

Ministry at Christ Brea

Bill joined the Christ Lutheran Pastoral Team in March of 2020 as an Assisting Pastor, assisting with shut-in calls, hospital visitation, Bible Study facilitation, and occasional preaching.

Personal & Family

Bill has a great passion for the theater and loves acting, singing, and performing (actually, that makes him a big "ham"). He has performed on stage in various venues in the Los Angeles area.

He has been married for over 50 years to the former Patti Inglis, who is a retired Clinical Psychologist. Their marriage has been blessed with two children, Luke and Rachel (deceased), and two grandchildren, Lyle David and Liam Duane. Bill and his family live in Whittier, California.