While I could be wrong, I think I may win the trophy among our staff for “most places lived.”  My list includes San Diego, Boston, the suburbs of New York City, Southern Connecticut, Pasadena, Malibu, Heidelberg, Germany, Manhattan and Redondo Beach, CA, Washington D.C., Princeton, New Jersey, Colorado Springs, and finally Richland, WA!  My story includes being raised as a Catholic, experiencing God’s presence in a rural camp in Massachusetts, moving cross-country to California and ultimately finding my home and my call in the Presbyterian Church, starting as a youth volunteer at the ripe age of 15.  God has since moved me around many times, but I have been blessed to have been a part of a number of different youth programs throughout the country, experiencing both the unique and common characteristics that constitute the life of the American teenager.  After finding my home in a Presbyterian church in Southern California, I set off for College at Pepperdine University, not knowing exactly where the Lord would ultimately send me.  This was an amazingly rich time in my life, where I was able to continue my involvement in youth ministry while also igniting my desire to learn more about my faith.  Through some vocational training, and after a short stint in the business and political worlds, I entered Princeton Seminary in the fall of 2005.  It was on a train ride from Princeton to New York City that I first met my wife, Colleen, as we considered our callings and shared stories from our past.  After a bit of discernment, Colleen joined me at Princeton in 2006, giving us the privilege of studying together for 2 of our 3 years in seminary.  The last few years have seen a lot of transition in our lives as we both graduated from seminary, moved once, got married, started jobs, moved again, bought our first home, moved again and ultimately settled here in Richland, WA.  

Responsibilities...

As the Associate Pastor for Youth and Families, I see my role as one of equipping the entire congregation to disciple the next generation of church leaders.  I spend much of my time with both students and families casting a vision for an inter-generational, family-based youth ministry where the passing on of the faith becomes an act of the entire church.

My Sense of Call...

Through a bunch of twists and turns God has revealed to me that right at the intersection of my gifts and my interests are in ministry, and in this particular case, in youth ministry.  It is really, as far as I have experienced, the only job I have done that does not feel like a job at all.  God has given me a heart for relationships, especially with students and families.  The Lord has given me the ability to relate to students across a wide spectrum of personalities and interests as well as the desire to come alongside them in their walk with God.  God has also placed on my heart the gift and desire to teach, something I look forward to with our students.

When I relax...

My favorite pastime is baseball, both to watch and play.  Much to the dismay of many of my colleagues and many in the congregation, I am a die-hard Yankees fan and look forward to championship #28 in the near future, say October 2010.  Colleen and I also love traveling and reading books.  When I happen to be in the right location, snowboarding and surfing are two of my favorite hobbies.  I also enjoy both fly and spear fishing when I have the time to do them!