Caleb McFerran
I was born in Escondido, CA, and baptized as a baby at our local Lutheran church in Valley Center, where we lived. My parents were committed to raising me and my siblings in a Christ-centered home, and as a family, we were invested in our local church. I’m deeply grateful for the strong faith and desire to grow in relationship with Christ that my parents instilled in me—something I’ve walked in for myself and my own family ever since.
When I was in 3rd grade, we moved to a 50,000-acre bison ranch in northeast Wyoming, where I had an incredible childhood. I went to college at Concordia University in Irvine, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Liberal Studies and my teaching credential and later earned a Master’s in Educational Administration. My heart has always been to shepherd kids in their faith and relationship with Jesus and their academics.
With over 20 years in faith-based education, I’ve taught a variety of ages and subjects—an experience that’s kept me young at heart and continually growing in my own faith. I’ve also been blessed with multiple leadership opportunities in Christian education, including serving as Principal of a Lutheran preschool–8th grade school in Costa Mesa. Currently, I serve as the Assistant Principal of Safety and Discipline at a local TK–8 Catholic school. I love my role—praying with and guiding students, teachers, and parents daily, helping kids feel known and valued, and supporting them when they stumble. A bonus is that I get to play at recess multiple times a day!
When I met my wife, Allyson, we realized we had been attending the same church—Rock Harbor Costa Mesa. We served and were invested in the community there until Rock Harbor planted a church in Huntington Beach, and we joined that church plant. We were excited to jump into what God was doing in this new community. We served in Children's, we loved our community group and the fellowship, until I was called to be Principal at a local Lutheran school, which required us to step away from our new and thriving church community to invest in the school and church God had called us to serve. After faithfully serving there for 7 years, we returned to Branches, and our family has been richly blessed by the teaching, worship, and rock-solid youth ministry ever since. Allyson volunteers in the nursery once a month, and I serve in the 3–5-year-old class one Sunday a month. This past fall (2024), we had the awesome opportunity to join Austenn and the Branches high school youth, including our daughter Faye, on a mission trip to Mexico.
My wife of 20 years and better half, Allyson, is a public school counselor at a local middle school, and we have three kids: Faye, Graeme and Pierce, We’re an active family who loves spending time outside, trying new things, and going on adventures—always thankful to God for the fun, the memories, and the chance to enjoy His creation together. Above all, our greatest joy is raising our kids to know and love Jesus and to be light-bearers for Him,.
I am humbled, grateful, and excited to serve the Branches community. May we all continue to grow into His likeness as He uses us as His hands and feet to transform our community and our world.
