Born in Waukegan, Illinois, I grew up in the Chicago area. Although my family went to church when I was a kid I never knew anything about a relationship with God until I got into college. While at UICC in Chicago a classmate invited me to his church youth group. The leader’s talks opened my spiritual eyes to the reality of a loving God who wanted to be known. I surrendered to Jesus in March 1975.
Since then I’ve been involved in the worship ministry of several churches, each position adding more responsibility, from volunteer to part-time staff. In 1999 I decided to sell my piano tuning business and go into full-time worship ministry. That’s when the doors opened to move to Ohio. In 2001 I moved my family to Ohio to lead worship at Riverwood Community Chapel in Kent.
In 2015 I began pursuing a Doctor of Worship Studies degree at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, FL. I completed that degree in November 2017 and am currently coaching and consulting pastors and worship leaders in reimagining what worship can look like in a post-Modern, post-church culture. It is an amazing honor and joy to exercise my gifts and calling serving Jesus in His church.
Ministry Experiences:
- Worship leader at St. John Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Niles IL.
- Vocal Music director for Son City at South Park Church, Park Ridge, IL.
- Worship Director at Skokie Evangelical Free Church, Skokie, IL.
- Contemporary Worship director at Winnetka Bible Church in Winnetka, IL.
- Full-time Pastor of Worship Arts at Riverwood Community Church in Kent OH for 15 years. This included training worship interns who have gone on to successful worship ministries.
- Sang in High Holiday choirs at 3 Chicago-area Jewish synagogues.
- Sang in the professional choir at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago under Richard Proulx.
- Missions experience in Europe with Greater Europe Mission, and in Dominican Republic and Cameroon.
Other musical experiences:
- Sang professionally in Chicago with Chicago Symphony Chorus, Lyric Opera Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, and Music of the Baroque through the 1980-90s.
- Wrote, arranged, produced, and recorded 3 full worship music projects.