Will began his ministry at Grace in the summer of 2023. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2020, with a degree in general elementary education, and a minor in music. After completing 1 year teaching in-person first grade and 2 years teaching online first-grade, the stars aligned for a career shift into Director of Children, Youth, and Family. Will enjoys all things music, starting his musical journey with piano lessons at Grace in 2^nd grade. He still plays piano in his free time and is a part of the choir. In the evenings, you can find him kickboxing, hanging out with friends, or reading the latest fantasy novel. Will is devoted to bringing joy, peace, wellbeing, adventure, and music into the lives of the Youth in this community. 

Q: What child, youth, and family experience shaped your faith the most? 

In the summer after 9^th grade, I went on my first mission trip. The youth all crawled in the vans with Tom and Steve headed out to the middle of Wyoming. I wasn’t happy that I was being forced to leave the comfort of my own home and my own friends in the middle of summer for a whole week. However, throughout the week, I ended up having a wonderful time, and experienced an incredible faith formation experience.  

One thing I learned is how meaningful connections and relationships through Christ can be. The friendships I developed on the trip were highly influential in my life and faith formation. The sense of belonging was powerful. This trip is the main reason I started enjoying Youth Group every Sunday afternoon and always made it a priority to take part in every event that I could. 

Another thing I learned on this trip is how lifegiving and nurturing it is to one’s spirit to serve. I remember painting houses, cleaning up yards, and taking care of spaces in partnership with these newly developed friendships. This opportunity helped me see the world in a new light – one where it is good and right to make the world around you a better place to be for everyone. It helped me see just how present and active the Holy Spirit is all around us.