“What do you want to do with your life?  Do you want to follow God or follow your friends?” A good friend of mine asked me those questions shortly after I reconnected with the church. He knew I had a heart to help others and challenged me to consider using my gifts to serve the Lord. At the time, I was working as an Emergency Medical Technician in the East Bay Area of California. Those questions opened my eyes to what I already knew deep down, (on the ambulance, you quickly learn what matters). God used my experiences to show me that those who had a faith life just seem to do better. The biggest reason is the hope He provides us.

I graduated from the Seminary in St. Louis, MO in June of 2007. Shortly afterwards I married my wife, Noelle. For a little over nine years, it was just the two of us. We had tried to have children of our own, but the Lord had different plans. In Dec 2016, we welcomed our first foster care child into our home. Her adoption was final in July of 2018. Our lives have been richly blessed by this little girl. God’s plan has been wonderfully overwhelming and beyond words.

I joined the pastoral team here at St. Lorenz in August of 2015. Over the years, I have been able to serve the community and congregation in different areas. Most recently, (In the summer of 2022), I became the Associate Pastor of Worship. It is a joy to be a part of a talented team that plans and prepares worship for both our traditional and contemporary contexts. Each expression of worship gives the opportunity to reflect on how the gospel message of salvation in Jesus Christ is present in each part of the service.