The Rev. Haiko Behrens was born 12/28/1969 in Hamburg, Germany as the son of a Lutheran Pastor and an elementary-school teacher.

Having grown up in the Lutheran Church and experiencing all aspects of congregational life first hand he felt that he would like to become a pastor himself and-to his parents surprise-enrolled at Protestant Seminary in Wuppertal, Germany.

He continued his Theological Studies in Oberursel and Muenster and achieved his Master of Divinity Degree as a graduate of Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Germany.

Because at the time Behrens graduated there were more Lutheran clergy than vacancies in Germany, he decided to enter the candidacy process of the ELCA after having successfully absolved an internship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Dallas, PA.

However it was a long road until he finally arrived in the United States. During this waiting period Behrens worked as an instructor for German as a Second Language, Business English and Cross Cultural Studies for various language schools and companies all over Germany.

Finally-freshly wed to Rie Umehara-Behrens- he came to the United States November 2003 to serve his first parish, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Warren, MI as a “Pastor in Residence” while at the same doing the academic work necessary to enter the roster of the ELCA.

After having completed this, Behrens was ordained in December 2004 and received his First Call as Pastor of St. Peter’s.

April 2007 Behrens accepted the Call to become Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in Franklin Square, NY where he is serving ever since.

Together with is wife Rie and their naughty and always hungry little Beagle Mona they are residing in the parsonage of Ascension Lutheran Church.