His family’s roots in the Valley date back to the 1940s, when his grandfather moved to Glendale to build homes. Now, more than 80 years later, Pastor Steven Wagenknecht has returned to the Valley as the new pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church, 9925 N. 103rd Ave.
Wagenknecht’s father was a pastor, which he said was a big reason as to why he wanted to pursue the career.
“As I was a teenager, and even into adulthood, I realized that there was something special in our house,” Wagenknecht said. “There was love, there was care, we got along pretty well. I got two brothers, so we did our fighting… but it was just a peaceful home.”
