Tristan Pankow, son of Pastor Joel and Rebekah Pankow, was born on July 19, 1997, in Holdrege, Neb. Tristan was baptized on August 3, 1997, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Norton, Kans., marking the beginning of his lifelong journey in faith. He moved with his family from Topeka to Bay City, Mich., in 2012 and graduated from Michigan Lutheran Seminary in 2016. He graduated from Martin Luther College in 2020 (B.A.), and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2024 (M.Div.). During his vicar year, Tristan served at Good News Lutheran Church in Mount Horeb, Wis.
On May 23, Tristan was assigned to serve as a home missionary at Living Shepherd Lutheran Church in Laramie, Wyo., a mission congregation serving about 80 souls. An avid outdoorsman, Tristan enjoys fishing, hiking, backpacking, and college sports—interests that make Laramie a fun fit for him. Pastor Pankow looks forward to connecting and growing with his congregation while embracing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as he shares the gospel in the Laramie community.