Heavenly Host Lutheran Church

Pastor Todd Bunge grew up on a farm in rural western Iowa. After graduating from high school in Wall Lake, Iowa, he attended the University of South Dakota, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication. After 3 years of first working in the advertising industry at a newspaper and then selling cable television commercials, God led him to pursue the Holy Ministry. The year leading up to attending Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, he left the advertising industry and worked with mentally and physically challenged adults at a facility in Carroll, IA.

After graduating seminary with his Master's of Divinity degree, Pastor Bunge received his first call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawarden, IA, where he served for 14 years. During that time he participated in and completed the 2012 International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. In 2016 he accepted a call to Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Polk City, IA, where he served for 8 years. In July of 2024, he accepted a call to be our pastor at Heavenly Host Lutheran Church in Cookeville.

Pastor Bunge met and married his wife, Tam, shortly after graduating college. They have three sons living in Iowa.

Holly is the administrative assistant who works in the church office at Heavenly Host Lutheran Church. She has been a resident of Cookeville, Tennessee for 20 years prior to her position with us. She is also a mother of three grown children and has four grandchildren.

Holly has lived all over the mid-west from Michigan to south Florida. Living in Oklahoma she began elementary school then moving to Howell, Michigan; finally, completing High School in Newbern, TN. She has an AS degree in Mathematics from Volunteer State Community college in Gallatin, TN and a Medical Secretary diploma from Medvance Institute.

Melissa graduated with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Tennessee Tech University. She has worked in Childcare and Education since 1996 with a short break to raise four children.

Melissa is dedicated to her family and her profession. On her free time away from the ECC she spends time with her grown children or other families with children.