NOTE: Due to Santa Clara County COVID-19 guidelines, the pastors and staff are working mostly from home.
Email is the best way to get in touch.
Jonna Bohigian, Pastor
Pastor Jonna comes to us from Fresno. She graduated with an M.Div in 2014 from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, which is where she met her husband, Alek. She graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2007 with a B.A. in Psychology. In-between her studies at APU and FPU, Jonna taught English as a foreign language in Ostrava, Czech Republic. She joined the St. Timothy’s pastoral staff in April 2017. She enjoys travel, languages, running, reading, friendships, and seeing God at work in His restorative mission.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 138 or jonna.bohigian@stlcsj.org
Jim Bangsund, Pastor
Pastor Jim grew up in California and has known Judy all her life. At age six, he may have been at her baptism! In 1968, he graduated with a degree in engineering and worked in that field for several years prior to marrying Judy and going to seminary in 1973. He served as pastor of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church on the Alameda, here in San Jose, from 1979 to 1985 and then, with Judy and three children, headed off to Tanzania, East Africa, to pastor an international congregation, teach religion in the public secondary schools and teach New Testament as a volunteer at an Anglican Seminary. That led to his pursuing and receiving a Ph.D. in Scripture (Old Testament focus) at Luther Seminary, St Paul, Minnesota, after which he and the family returned to Tanzania in 1993 where he taught Old Testament and Hebrew at the primary theological seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, Makumira University College. In 2007, Jim and Judy finished what God had called them to do in Tanzania, with former students of theirs able to take over their roles. They then returned to the States to become pastors at St Timothy’s until their retirements. Now that Pastor Dan Selbo has been elected bishop of the North American Lutheran Church, Jim and Judy have returned temporarily to assist Pastor Jonna while the Call Team looks for our next lead pastor.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 114 or jim.bangsund@stlcsj.org
Judy Bangsund, Pastor
Pastor Judy has lived in San Jose since 2007, serving as Associate Pastor at St Tim’s from 2007 – 2017. The previous 22 years were spent as missionaries (together with husband, Pastor Jim, and family) in Tanzania, serving as a nurse, music teacher and seminary teacher (at Tumiani University – Makumira College). It was during her time in Tanzania that she discerned a call to be a pastor, completed her Masters of Divinity (from Luther Seminary, 2004), and served her first call as campus pastor.
Now she is back at St Tim’s to serve along with Pastor Jim as Interim Pastor, and happy to be back at St Timothy’s once more. She has 3 married children and 4 grandchildren, and enjoys sewing, music and outdoor activities in her spare time.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 138 or judy.bangsund@stlcsj.org
Joe Hill, Director of Youth and Worship
Joe is a San Jose native and has been a lifelong member of St. Timothy’s. He was Youth Ministry Intern starting in 2008 and came on staff as Director of Youth and Family Ministries in September 2010. He has a BA in Youth Ministries Leadership from Bethany University. In 2017, he added Worship Director to his job.
His passion is for equipping young people to have a faith that lasts a life time, and for teaching and showing others how to grow as disciples. He enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing, reading and playing the bass guitar. He has been married to Elizabeth since 2015 and they have a young daughter named Avery.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 120 or joe.hill@stlcsj.org
Anna-Marie Valles, Director of Jr. High Ministry
Anna-Marie is a bay area native. She began her faith journey at a tender age of 9. At 12, sitting in chapel at her Christian school, she felt called to pursue full time ministry.
She started working in youth ministry in 1990 and has been on the St. Tim’s staff since 2017. She studied Social Work at both Pacific Christian College & San Jose State University. During the last 20 years she has worked for Youth for Christ as their Ministry Director, establishing outreach clubs in the public schools. Her programs minister to over 500 students weekly.
She is regularly called as a guest speaker for camps and church events to share her unique perspective on sharing the Gospel with young people in this day and age. Anna-Marie enjoys attending Golden State Warrior basketball games, reading, and spending time with her husband, Sam. She & Sam have an English bulldog named Barney.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 122 or annamarie.valles@stlcsj.org
Emily Hindenes, Director of Children and Family Ministries
Emily is a San Jose native and grew up in St. Timothy’s church! She is an alumni of St. Timothy’s Lutheran School and attended Castillero Middle School and Pioneer High School.
Growing up in the world of teaching, with her mother being a teacher for the past 20+ years, she decided to pursue education. Attending Concordia University in Irvine, CA she graduated with her credentials and Bachelors Degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Child Development.
She taught at Los Gatos Christian School as a 5th grade teacher for two years before joining St. Timothy’s. She is happy to be working with families and children in developing their faith life and back at the place that helped shape her!
Emily loves her family and is a proud dog owner! She enjoys spending time outdoors, painting, and going to her favorite place, Disneyland!
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 119 or emily.hindenes@stlcsj.org
Beth Tkacheff, Office Admin
Beth has lived in San Jose all her life and has been attending St. Timothy’s since a neighbor brought her to Vacation Bible School as a child. She has been working in the office at St. Timothy’s since 2002, first as part-time and now full-time. She enjoys that part of her job is chatting with people on the phone, in-person and even on Facebook. She also loves to learn new things especially anything to do with tech gadgets or computers. She is grateful to God for the opportunity to serve him at St. Timothy’s and knows that this is his calling for her.
She has been married to Mike since 1986 and they have 3 grown children. They are empty nesters sharing their home with their 2 cats and a dog. In Beth’s spare time you can find her reading a book or walking and biking the trails near her home.
Contact: 408-264-3858, ext 111 or beth.tkacheff@stlcsj.org