"Perhaps more than any gift, skill, or experience I have to offer the church, I bring my heart, my love for ministry, and my gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve. I love being a pastor. I love being in service to the church. I feel called by God to be a compassionate presence with people and in serving as a vessel in healing wounded spirits. I have also been privileged to watch people's eyes dance with some new spiritual discovery or biblical insight. From births to baptisms, from graduations to weddings, from funerals to times of celebration around the Table, I have had the opportunity to walk with people through the joys and challenges which life presents us. I also bring gifts that have been affirmed by others: the gift of writing and preaching, the gift of designing meaningful worship experiences, the gift of listening and of being present with people, the gift of nurturing deeper connections with God and with each other. As human beings I believe we share a craving for connection - a longing for a place where we are known and needed, where we feel like we belong, where our souls can be nourished by God's Word and Spirit. As a pastor, I believe I play a significant role in helping to create a welcoming church in which all people who crave this connection can find a home."