The Rev. Arne Bergland has been selected as the director of church relations for California Lutheran University. He began his new position Sept. 2.

Rev. Arne Bergland Bergland will sustain and expand CLU's relationships within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He will focus on the five synods and 731 congregations in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and parts of Wyoming and Texas.

He will also work closely with CLU's campus ministry, Segerhammar Center for Faith and Culture, and religion department.

"Having Arne on board will greatly enhance our relationships with Lutheran Church communities and our ecumenical partners," said CLU President Chris Kimball. "His outreach efforts with the office of university ministries will assist us in articulating our Lutheran identity and sharing our many academic success stories."

Bergland has served as the pastor of Spanaway Lutheran Church in Washington since 2000. He previously worked as an associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Mason City, Iowa; St. Paul's Lutheran in Missoula, Mont., and at Zion and Deer Creek Lutheran in Glendive, Mont.

He received a bachelor's degree in theater arts from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and a master of divinity from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.

Bergland has 28 years of experience working with youth. He has served in leadership positions at the synod, regional and national levels. He recently completed three years as board president for the Associated Ministries of Pierce County in Washington.

Bergland and his wife, Susan, have two college-aged daughters, including Grete, a junior at CLU.