I am a recently retired Lutheran pastor who has served as a solo pastor for 26 years in small town and rural congregations in Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio. Often I was the only person on staff, which meant I was pastor, church secretary, volunteer coordinator… I know first hand the struggle of keeping first things first!
Before becoming a pastor, I worked in the business world for 14 years. Much of that time I was a temporary office administrator, working with a number of companies both large and small. I loved being a “temp” because of the variety: different industries, challenging projects, new people. I was always learning something new, then bringing that with me to the next assignment.
One of those temp assignments led to me being hired as a technical writer and editor at Rockwell International Space Systems Division. There I learned the ins and outs of the publishing world (and yes, also some rocket science). I carried these publishing skill into my ministry, creating high quality bulletins, newsletters, and social media sites for my congregations. My latest publishing venture is in the world of website creation, which I find fascinating.
Since I retired, my husband Kerry and I have been spending much of our time in the mountains of Costa Rica with our two very spoiled housecats. We love the perfect climate, the friendly people, and the access to first-world conveniences, along with the slower pace of life in a Latin American country.
