Pastor Zehnder was born September 26, 1949 in Cleveland Ohio. He attended Lakewood Lutheran School and Lutheran High School West, graduating in 1968. In 1973 he graduated with a Bachelor Degree in business administration from Kent State University. While at Kent he was in ROTC, and then served a a 2nd Lieutenant with the Military Transporting Engineering Agency at Fort Eustis, Virginia. After returning home, he met Kathy Miller and was married on July 30, 1977

He entered Concordia Theological Seminary in fort Wayne, graduating in 1984. He served his vicarage at Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was ordained and served Emmaus Lutheran Church, South Bend Indiana from 1984 to 1992. He was then called to St. Paul's Lutheran Church an an Associate Pastor and installed June 17, 1992.  He has been serving St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School, until recently being called to St. Mark, Chesterland, Ohio.

In addition to his wife Kathy, Pastor Zehnder has three grown children. Geoffrey, Kevin , married to Heather and Lynn.

Pastor enjoys biking, skiing and gardening and woodworking.