Though born in South Dakota, coming of age in Los Angeles during the ‘50s and ‘60s was clearly among the most formative periods of my life. In 1971, my wife Ann Marie and I moved to the Nebraska Panhandle to begin serving our first church, a journey that would continue in churches in California and the Upper Midwest and an unexpected detour to Maui. A half-century later, having mostly retired, I reflected on that journey in a memoir, Acres of Oak — A Pastor Rethinks Church in the 21st Century. I am a Protestant Minister and have served both Congregational and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) pastorates. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Riverside and two professional degrees, a Master of Divinity from Bethany Theological Seminary, Richmond, Indiana, and a Doctor of Ministry from the School of Theology at Claremont, California. The majority of my career has centered largely on the local church but I have enjoyed my involvement in the wider church as well, most notably a four-year term as Moderator of the International Congregational Fellowship that ended with a quadrennial meeting in Seoul, South Korea. Of personal interest is exploring desert and wilderness spirituality and the intersection between religion and the arts. Since retiring and moving to the Central Coast of California, I have been a member of the Board of Directors of People of Faith for Justice, an interfaith voice for social and environmental justice, and an advocate for Ecological Civilization in the San Luis Obispo area.