What is your theological background?
 

I grew up as a member of the Churches of Christ (acappella). I graduated from Lipscomb University with a business degree in 1979 and worked in sales for 20 years.  I was called into ministry in 1999 and moved to Texas to attend seminary (Abilene Christian University).  My first pastorate was in Kentucky where I was an associate minister.  Pastoral care became a real passion for me there, especially ministering to those in crisis.  I enrolled in CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) as an intern and was later invited into a residency program in Louisville, Kentucky.  When I was in CPE I decided to change denominations and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was a natural fit for me.  I received my Masters of Divinity in 2013, was ordained in 2014, and board certified through the APC (Association for Professional Chaplains) in June of 2016.

How long have you been performing weddings?

My first wedding was my younger brother and his fiancée in Pittsburgh at the Hershey Chapel in 2001. I have done weddings since then in Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. 

What do you like BEST about weddings?

It is an honor and a privilege to be such an integral part of solidifying a relationship. Weddings are sacred not only because God is present, but because vows are being made before God in the hope of making the relationship permanent.  It is up to both partners to do their part to keep the relationship permanent, but a wedding ceremony is in some ways similar to a baptism- it is an induction into a new life.