My parents with me, and two brothers and one sister, moved to Southern California during the Christmas break of 1954. I lost my southern accent on the the first day of school and finished my growing up there in Southern California attending three different grammar schools, two junior high school and three different high schools finally graduating from Huntington Beach High School in 1964 where I had my life changed when I met Susan Joseph.

I was raised in Church from the beginning and committed my life to Jesus when I was 10 years old. Susan was invited to church by a friend and found God was there for her and she became a follower of Jesus when she was 16 years old, just a few months before we met. Susan and I dated for four years and were married on September 9, 1967 while she and I were attending college at Oregon State University. During our college years we were exposed to people who were filled with the Holy Spirit and eventually asked God to bless us with the filling of the Holy Spirit as well. Susan and I have been living on the edge with God in some ways ever since.

I graduated in 1968 and became an officer in the United States Marine Corps. I went to flight school and during my training Susan and I had our first child, Jennifer, born on October 15, 1969.

I served in Vietnam as a C-130 pilot from June 1971 to June 1972 and had my life changed by God during that time. I took refuge in God's word during that year to deal with the moral and spiritual challenges I experienced during that time. I read and studied the Bible as I had never done, reading it through at least 20 times and writing notes on everything I learned. God used that to not only strengthen me but alter my personality, beginning to connect me more emotionally with my wife and other people in my life.

When I returned from overseas service I Susan and I were invited to our first small group and began to connect closely with brothers and sisters in Christ even as I continued to fly for the Marine Corps. We had our second child, Nathan, born July 15, 1973.

I was encouraged by various teachers and pastors to learn more and use what I was learning to teach. Eventually I was leading a wide variety of small groups and teaching and leading various groups and adult Sunday School classes. Our pivotal year came when I was asked by my commanding officer to decide whether I wanted to be a Marine or a Minister. I, we, resigned from the Marine Corps, not knowing where God was going to take us. We had several months of adventure, including running out of money before we made a decision, before God, to sell the home we had just bought, clear any debts and go to seminary. God supernaturally confirmed that decision and supernaturally provided the financial means for me to go to seminary.

I graduated from Fuller Seminary in 1980 after four wonderful years that Susan and I shared during that time. We had never heard of the Evangelical Covenant Denomination but we (Susan and I use "we" even though it was me because we make all our decisions together!) were called to come and serve at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, California. I served on staff there for three years leading the outreach ministries, the singles ministry and the small groups ministries. I was called to Northwest Covenant Church in Mt. Prospect, Illinois in October of 1983 and served four years there as the Pastor. We were called to Redwood Covenant Church in July 1987 and have been here ever since.

Susan is a prayer warrior and continues to be devoted to growing in Christ. Both our children are grown and fellowship and serve in the church. Jennifer married Erik Birkenes in June of 1993 and they have four wonderful children, our grandchildren, who all are growing up at RCC. Nathan married Jenna Mark in Aug of 2003 and they have a music ministry called After the Chase.

We have been ministered to by this church family in many ways, large and small and we have been helped to grow as persons and as followers of Jesus even as the church has grown from a weekly attendance of about 120 to what it is today.

I thank God for my journey and my ongoing growth here at RCC.