Pastor

I came to St. Mark’s in 2001 after serving Lutheran communities in Cameroon, France, Madagascar, Taiwan, and in our own Pacific Northwest. It goes without saying that the people of each place have touched my life in profound ways. And now, as a pastor of this congregation, I am learning to see how God is doing that all over again. I am married to Linda Faaren and we have two daughters. On my days off I like to chase the elusive trout and salmon that are native to our waters. However, I can be just as content wandering the streets of the city looking for a good restaurant or pub. My favorite biblical images are those of pilgrimage or sacred journey. They have shaped my own spirituality and given me a way of understanding the mission of the Church in our time. On my recent spiritual pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in Spain (picture), I learned a simple “credo” that is useful for every day of our life journey. It includes these five things that can be said each morning, and I commend them to you: “I am not in control. I am not in a hurry. I walk in faith and hope. I greet everyone in peace. I bring back only what God gives me.”

I invite you to follow by blog at http://www.mydailypilgrimage.blogspot.com/

If you would like to get in touch with me, my email address isjruud@smlutheran.org.