Mary Elizabeth Jensen

Mary was born on 10 June 1939 in Madelia (MN). Mary’s first career was as a registered nurse, starting in 1960. On 27 May 1961 she married Andrew Jensen, and during 1964 they moved to Belfield (ND) where she served as a pastor’s wife. In 1976, Mary earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, and in 1979 she earned a M.A. in Systematic Theology from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul (MN). During 1989, Mary was ordained as a Lutheran pastor at the age of 50 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in North Hollywood (CA). Before her ordination, Mary earned her Master of Divinity in 1988 from Wartburg Seminary (Dubuque, IA), and in 2001 she earned a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA).

Mary was the author of Women in the Bible Tell Their Stories (1978), Bible Women Speak to Us Today, (1983), and Making Your Marriage Work (1985, with her husband Rev. Dr. Andrew Jensen). Rev. Mary Jensen was the co-author of We Belong to the Land (1990) with Elias Chacour. During 1990, Mary was a peace delegate to Iraq with the Fellowship of Reconciliation during “Desert Shield” before the First Gulf War; the delegation was able to gain the release of four American detainees while also bringing medicine to the needy in Iraq and Jordan.

As a Lutheran pastor, Mary served as the visitation pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in North Hollywood (CA) from 1989 to 1990. Mary then helped start and then served as pastor for the Church of Hope in Canyon Country (CA) from 1990 to 2001. From early-2002 to early-2004, Rev. Dr. Mary Jensen served as the Assistant to the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem. In Lincoln, Mary served as pastor for Prince of Peace Lutheran Church from 2004 - 2009, and then helped start the Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church, where she served as pastor from 2009 to her retirement in 2010. Mary truly enjoyed her retirement years; during the 2010’s, she organized and guided yearly trips to Jerusalem, working with the office of the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Nebraska.

Mary was preceded in death by Rev. Dr. Andrew Jensen (2007). Mary is survived by: Son/Daughter-in-Law Daniel and Sheryl Jensen (Lincoln, NE), Son and Daughter-in-Law Joel and Julie Jensen (Brooklyn Park, MN), and Nathan Jensen and Norman Hill (Shoreline, WA); Brother and Sister-in-Law John and Hjordis Halvorson (Oak Park, IL); Grandchildren Brikken Wagner-Jensen, Merlyn Jensen, Saffron Jensen, and Edison Jensen, all from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area; Brother-in-Law James O. Anderson (Blair, NE); Nephew Scott Anderson (Guyman, OK), and Nieces Karna Dam (Hooper, NE) and Krista Halvorson (Chicago, IL).

A private interment for Rev. Dr. Mary E. Jensen will be held at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, and a memorial celebrating her life will be held at First Lutheran Church (Lincoln, NE) on August 31st at 1 pm. Donations on behalf of Rev. Mary Jensen can be made to First Lutheran Church.