Date of ordination: 06/14/1993

College: Michigan Technological University: BS in Electrical Engineering, 1978

Trinity Lutheran Seminary – Columbus Ohio, 1993

Campus Crusade for Christ, Orlando, FL 1979 to 1989

All Saints Lutheran Church, Hartland, MI 1993-2008

I have been the pastor of All Saints Lutheran Church for nearly 15 years. I spent 8 years of my life just before seminary as a professional musician so much of my volunteer work at the church has been in music. I have been a coach for Odyssey of the Mind teams when my kids were in High School and have helped with sound and technical support for the Encore youth theater in Hartland.

Core convictions:

I believe that God is the very source of everything that exists and that human understanding is capable of comprehending only the smallest fraction of the truth about God. In the vast universe, of which we are such an immeasurably small part, this calls for humility and an attitude of openness and grace whenever we are discussing our beliefs about God. I believe God is infinite love and longs to grow in intimate relationship with all of creation. God has been calling all of life, but especially humankind into a loving, personal relationship since the beginning of our time on earth. There is abundant evidence for this in our Scriptures, but it became most clear in the person of Jesus, the Christ. In Him, God was completely successful in breaking through into our reality. God’s will, word, heart, and Spirit, God’s “self” took on flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We had the incredible joy of seeing the “word of truth” among us in Jesus’ life and, in his death on the cross, he broke down the barrier of sin that separated us from knowing God’s love and forgiveness as God longed for us to know it.

I believe life is the greatest gift given to us and that every person has a solemn responsibility to live and enjoy it to the fullest. I believe that every Christian is called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to discern the most effective way to use their God given resources to further Christ’s mission on earth. I believe that God has been preparing me to be a pastor from the day I was born. I resisted this calling for many years, but now I believe, and the body of Christ has affirmed, that I am doing what God created me to do.

Faithful service:

I pray every time I preach that God’s word for God’s people will be in my mouth and that they will hear what the Holy Spirit yearns for them to hear. I believe God honors that prayer.

I pray every time I lead worship that God will never allow it to become ordinary or routine, but rather that the power of the words and the music will be fresh and alive every time they come from my lips.

I pray that God uses me to lead my congregation toward the vision that the Holy Spirit has for us rather than our own preferences and desires.

I ask God to help me to be the presence of the Holy Spirit when I am providing pastoral care of those in need

I pray that God will speak through me, even just by my caring presence, at congregational events and meetings.

I pray that God gives me the grace to serve faithfully alongside my sisters and brothers in Christ when we are involved in helping those in need.