Although I am officially retired, I have recently served for 5 1/2 years as the part-time mission developer in South Lyon in a parish now known as Shepherd's Way Lutheran, and more recently completed an interim assignment in Grand Blanc at Holy Spirit, and spent 1 year preparing the people of King of Kings in Lake Orion for redevelopment. Over the years, I have served parishes in North Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, with the last 20+ years at parishes here in Michigan.
My wife, Jennifer, and I have been married 44 years. We are both graduates of Capital University, as is our youngest son. Jennifer holds a Master's degree and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She retired earlier this year after 20+ years at Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority, although she is still doing some contractual assignments for them. Her hobbies include making fused glass items and working on family genealogy. We have three adult sons. Carl, who lives in Whitmore Lake with his wife, Stacie; works in construction, and she is a supervisor at Sam’s Club. Kevin, our middle son, lives in Livonia with his wife, Kate and works in the healthcare data field in Troy, while Kate works in commercial interiors and project management. Our youngest, Eric, besides being a Cap grad, lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife Sara; he works for a tech services subcontractor for state government, and she works in the preschool education department at Ohio State University.
Although I was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, I am a New Yorker. I grew up in Long Island, where I met many interesting people, including Neil Diamond and Carlo Gambino (through my paper route when I was a kid), and Rodney Dangerfield, who ran the paint store my folks used. My dad, who is deceased, was a science teacher and coach, in both private and public schools, and my mother still lives in the house I grew up in - not even hurricane Sandy could convince her to leave, even lthough the Great South Bay was in her living room! As I said, I am a Cap grad, with a degree in History/Political Science, Literature and Education. I am a 1976 graduate of what is now Trinity Seminary in Columbus.
My hobbies and interests include making model military figures and ships. I also do a lot of historical research, with special interest in the ethnic regiments of the Army of the Potomac in the Civil War, and have done workshops and presentations at Gettysburg, Antietam, and Cape Hatteras. I collect uniforms, including English uniforms of the Victorian and Edwardian periods, and German uniforms from the Wilhelmine (pre-World War I) period. I also collect ocean liner memorabilia, and love to putter in the garden. I am a member of the Artist Preservation Group, the Military Model Soldier Society of Illinois, the Steamboat Historical Society, the Company of Military Historians and the Napoleonic Society.
Now that you know a little more about me, I look forward to meeting and getting to know you and partnering with you in your journey. Thank you.
Guiding Principles
Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior
Trust in the Power of Prayer
Accept, Welcome and Care for All People
Led by God's Word
Active in Learning God's Word
Led by the Spirit
Committed to Action
Respect Others
Service to Others
Listen with a Clear Mind
Our Purpose
Proclaiming Christ through Thought, Word and Deed
History
The beginnings of an idea for a new Lutheran church in Flushing began in 1976. On October 8, 1978, King of Glory Lutheran Church was officially begun and our first pastor was hired. Worship was held at a local elementary school until our current building at River and Beecher Roads was built. The first service in the new building was held on Easter Sunday, 1981. Over the years, we have had five different pastors, with several interim pastors in between. We began as a member of the Lutheran Church in America (Michigan Synod). In 1988, following a major merger of several Lutheran denominations, we joined the newly formed Evangelical Church in America (ELCA), Southeast Michigan Synod.