For about the past five years, my wife Allison and I have called the Twin Cities “home.” Our first home together as a married couple was our seminary apartment. Our second, has been our post-seminary apartment.

A funny thing happened in the past year though, our post-seminary apartment became Allison’s in-seminary apartment. While I had discerned a calling to a more formalized ministry role in the church, as an Associate in Ministry, Allison has discerned one towards ordained ministry, to be a pastor.

As we begin the summer, Allison basically has two large pieces left of her program. She has her hospital chaplaincy (CPE) which she is doing this summer, and then a congregational internship to serve. We recently found out that her internship will take us across country, back to the Pacific Northwest. This was an unexpected surprise.

Because of this, we are looking ahead to some exciting changes. Internship begins in September, so that means in mid-late August, we will be moving back to the west coast. We’ll no longer be crossing the Mighty Mississippi River nearly daily (and sometimes multiple-times) as we cris-cross the Twin Cities. Instead, we’ll be heading to the banks of the Columbia River, to Messiah Lutheran in Vancouver, Washington. (For those not from the west coast, Vancouver, Washington is across the river from Portland, Oregon and not to be confused with the much larger Vancouver, British Columbia across the border in Canada).

We’re looking forward to a year back in the Northwest while Allison serves her internship, and I will have a chance to put some of my missional church training to work as part of that faith community. I’ll also be doing some work for the synod there. We’ll be back in the midst and shadows of the Cascades, meaning we’ll be able to see our good friends Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and even Mt. Hood. Of all the things that living in Minnesota has meant, the driving for long stretches without seeing a mountain in the distance took the longest to get used to.

I’ll share more about these changes in future posts. But for now, know that I will remain as active as ever here on the blog. Though my geographical and congregational contexts will be changing, the content of my questions and reflections will continue.

As we prepare to pack, move across country, and for all of these life and vocational changes, please support us in prayer. We weren’t planning on this move so soon, but we’re excited for what it will look like.

A Word of Thanks: Since moving to Minnesota, Allison and I have been blessed with so many friends and new family. Today I want to especially thank those faith communities which have shaped us as a couple, and have allowed us to explore our callings of ministry as a couple together in Minnesota. Thank you Cross of Hope, Trinity and Woodlake Lutheran churches! We are grateful for your continued support and encouragement, and are so blessed to be/have been part of your communities.

Image Credit: Vancouver and Vancouver