I had the privilege of being raised by faithful Christian parents from two very different denominational backgrounds. I grew up watching my parents knitting together their spiritual lives, and I learned to appreciate the strengths that different individuals and denominations contribute to the Body of Christ. From a young age, I accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, and set about following Him. Immersed in a broad variety of spiritual disciplines and experiences, I discovered that Jesus can be present in many different contexts, and I learned to encounter Him in a variety of ways. I developed a heart for church unity, and grew to cherish “mere Christianity”—the basic building blocks of faith that bind all Christians together, regardless of denomination.
When I found Church of the Resurrection in 2013, I was amazed by how many different facets of my childhood faith experience were brought together in one place. Robust teaching from the Word, deep rootedness in liturgy and tradition, freedom in worship, and rich community all confronted me, and it thrilled me to see them all gathered in one place. Resurrection’s simultaneous emphasis on Scripture, Sacrament, and the Holy Spirit was something I had never encountered before. I was drawn to Resurrection because she strives to walk the middle way, drawing together the strengths of many movements within Christianity. I saw church unity embodied in a way I had never imagined.
I stayed at Resurrection, became involved in ministry, and eventually became a staff member in various roles. It has been an honor to delve more deeply into the life of the church and to participate in ministry. I am thrilled to be able to use my MM in Choral Conducting to serve Jesus and His Church. The intersection of music, theology, and worship is one of my most passionate pursuits, and I am honored to lead worship in a congregation that values them all so highly. My prayer is that worship at Rez will open many hearts to the Lord, uniting us all with Christ.
