Our Pastor and Congregational Leadership
Rev. Donaldo Sonntag was born in Southern Brazil in 1957. His father was a pastor/missionary of the LCMS. He is the youngest of 15 children of Rev. Eduardo C. Sonntag & Ilse Rennecke Sonntag. Four of his brothers are in the ministry in Brazil. He holds a DCE degree from Concordia University – St. Paul, MN; a Master’s in Parish Education and a Master’s in Family Life Ministry from Concordia University – Seward, NE. His theological training took place at Concordia Seminary in Porto Alegre, Brazil. His ordination was in February of 1985 at His first parish (Concordia Ev. Lutheran Church in Ijui, RS, Brazil). Rev. Sonntag served this parish (two congregations) from 1985 through 1991. He also planted a church in a very poor area during those years.
His second congregation was in Castrolanda, in the state of Parana, Brazil (1991-1996). As a senior pastor of this large congregation he coordinated the Christian Education, Youth Ministry, and for 4 years the Mission efforts. During his tenure two mission congregations were planted. The staff of this congregation included two pastors, two evangelists, nurses, social workers, and one agronomist. The congregation was very active in the surrounding communities. He also served in various circuit and district leadership positions, especially in Brazil.
From 1997 until the end of January of 2014 he was in NW Arkansas and has served as church planter/pastor of Living Savior Lutheran Church (Bethel Heights) and as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church (Fayetteville – since 2008). Living Savior and St. John’s are a dual parish as of 2009. He also planted a very successful Hispanic Ministry for the Lutheran Church in NW Arkansas under the name “Unidos en Cristo.” Today this ministry is called “Cristo para Todos” (Springdale, AR).
Rev. Sonntag became the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church on February 01, 2014.
His second congregation was in Castrolanda, in the state of Parana, Brazil (1991-1996). As a senior pastor of this large congregation he coordinated the Christian Education, Youth Ministry, and for 4 years the Mission efforts. During his tenure two mission congregations were planted. The staff of this congregation included two pastors, two evangelists, nurses, social workers, and one agronomist. The congregation was very active in the surrounding communities. He also served in various circuit and district leadership positions, especially in Brazil.
From 1997 until the end of January of 2014 he was in NW Arkansas and has served as church planter/pastor of Living Savior Lutheran Church (Bethel Heights) and as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church (Fayetteville – since 2008). Living Savior and St. John’s are a dual parish as of 2009. He also planted a very successful Hispanic Ministry for the Lutheran Church in NW Arkansas under the name “Unidos en Cristo.” Today this ministry is called “Cristo para Todos” (Springdale, AR).
Rev. Sonntag became the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church on February 01, 2014.
Congregational President Wes Tiemann Head Elder Chris Gilman
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