About Pastor Rachael

I join the Calvary community with a deep love for God’s people, a passion for sharing the faith with children, youth, and families, a heart called to pastoral care through the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and 26 years of experience in congregational ministry. I bring a lighthearted approach shaped by many years of life within different congregational contexts, each filled with its joys and complexities. Over the years, I have been shaped and enriched by time spent with church elders, whose lifelong faith and experiences bring depth and wisdom to the church’s shared story. I also shared friendship and collegiality with Pastor Kirk and feel deeply honored to be called

to Calvary in this season, holding with sensitivity and gratitude the grief and shared life of his time among you.

My husband, Randy, and I have been married for 16  years. He is a retired Air Force veteran and now works as the Operations Deputy Fight Chief in the Civil Engineering Squadron at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. We share our home with our dog, Zuke, a Shiba Inu and American Eskimo mix, and enjoy quiet evenings, traveling, and time with family. We are proud parents to sons Shane, who lives in Mankato 

with his wife, Indigo, and Tyler, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his long-term partner, Hannah. Being “Auntie” is one of my greatest joys and a role I treasure deeply. Being Auntie RaRa is a top-tier gift in life. My sister, Lauren, and her husband, Dan, along with their daughters, Carollyn (8th grade) and Ava (3rd grade), are also excited to be part of the Calvary community. I was raised in California and moved to North Dakota in 1994, where I began working in medical coding. In 1998, I stepped into youth and family ministry at University Lutheran. I later spent 13 years serving at Sharon Lutheran in Grand Forks, focusing on children, youth, and family ministries. In 2015, I entered 

seminary through the TEEM program at Wartburg while serving at Central Valley Parish, where I developed a deep love for rural ministry. Over the years, I’ve also served in various leadership roles with the synod, the ELCA Youth Gathering teams, and as Mayville Conference Dean. 

I am humbled and excited to join the Calvary community as your Lead Pastor. I look forward to walking alongside you in this new season, sharing God’s good news of love, hope, and grace in meaningful and vibrant ways. You will almost always find me with a cup of coffee in hand… morning coffee, second coffee, afternoon coffee, and even evening decaf. I’m also an avid reader, both for professional development and for fun, often juggling multiple books across different categories at once. While I enjoy travel and activities, I also love the quiet joy of being a homebody. And whenever possible, I seek time near water, especially the Pacific Ocean, where my California heart always feels at home.