I presently reside: Pacific Beach.

Originally from: Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Education/Background:

Luther College, B.A.
University of London, M.A.
Yale University Divinity School, M.Div.
Graduate Theological Union, Ph.D.

E-mail Pastor Richard

Ministry Background:

Pastor - Westlake Lutheran Church, Daly City, CA
Campus Pastor - Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA
Interim Pastor - St. James Lutheran Church, Richmond, CA
Pastor - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Berkeley, CA
Pastor - Village Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

My Family: I am married to Cyndi. She has a son, Josh. My mother recently celebrated her 89th birthday; my father died in 1988. I have two older brothers, John and Jim and two younger sisters, Mary Anne and Meg.

Personal Story: I grew up in a beautiful part of rural Wisconsin on a dairy farm. I attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa; following my graduation I traveled studied at the University of London, where I received a M.A. in American Studies. I got a taste for traveling and later returned for some extended time wandering through Europe and north Africa. As part of that experience, I decided I wanted to learn more about the Christian tradition my own spiritual identity. I attended Yale Divinity School which provided a wonderful community combining intellectual study, spiritual formation and service. I did my internship in San Francisco and then began a doctoral program in philosophical theology at the Graduate Theological Union. The opportunity arose to serve a church in conjunction with my doctoral work and I was ordained in 1980. I later served as Campus Pastor at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, did several interim ministries in the Bay Area, worked as a shelter counselor for the Berkeley Emergency Food Project and as pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

After rekindling an old high school romance - and tiring of trying to do a long distance relationship; -- I moved to Milwaukee to marry Cyndi and served as pastor of the Village Church from 1997 through the summer of 2005.

I started working at CELC: My first Sunday was August 28, 2005.

My role at CELC: I am the Lead Pastor at Christ Lutheran. I guess like the "lead horse" on a team of horses you could say my job is to help lead our community of faith in the right direction. I think you do that -- again, a bit like a lead horse -- by helping to pull the load.

Most fulfilling part of my job: In my past experience, the great joy of being a pastor is that people invite you to share in some of the deepest parts of their lives. It's an honor, a privilege and a joy.

Spiritual Gifts: I have been so richly blessed by God's grace over the years that -- despite my slowness and resistance -- I have somehow learned to live by grace. I'm not in charge of everything and the most important things in life come as a gift - always underserved and often unexpected. I know how to laugh. I am nourished and renewed by the wonder of creation and being physically active and creative. I see all of life -- even the most ordinary things -- as sacred.