Hometown: Pagosa Springs, CO (it's ok, nobody knows where it is)
Family: Josh and Jen have been married for 10 years and have two incredible kids - Lucas John (born in '06) and Tessa Grace (born in '08). In addition to keeping us on our toes, God uses them to hold up a giant mirror. They help us see just how much He loves us and just how much we still need to grow up!
Education: BS from the University of Colorado at Boulder; Ministry Apprenticeship Program (MAP) Advanced Ministry Training Certificate, Heartland Community Church; AMiA Anglican Studies Program coursework, ongoing
Background: After a five year stint in the world of corporate engineering, this self-professed "water-cooler guy" left the friendly confines of cubeland and headed for the slightly less lucrative world of full time ministry. Having cut his ministry teeth at Heartland Community Church (Kansas City), Josh took a position at Cambridge Church (an AMiA church in KC) in 2004. That started a journey toward discovering some of the ancient elements of our everyday faith, resulting in an ordination as a priest in the Anglican Communion in 2007.
Shortly after being ordained, God began to stir a desire to step out in faith and start a search process for the next step in ministry. A few phone calls later, Josh and Scott were on the phone, reconnecting and asking God if Orchard Hills might be just the place. The rest, as they say, is history.
My passion at Orchard Hills: Josh is passionate about seeing people step into their calling as part of the Kingdom of God. Jesus invites every person who knows Him to take an active role in what He is doing in the world. There is nothing more exciting than being used by God to change someone's life forever!
Favorite illustration of a biblical truth: In Isaiah 58:9-12, God gives a glimpse of what life would be like if the church would step into obedience and accept His invitation to make a difference in the world:
"You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again."
I love that imagery - that if we will accept God's call on our lives, we (the church) will be known in the city as a people "who can fix anything," rebuilding lives that have been shattered. Wouldn't it be exciting if the church had a reputation as a place people came to get rebuilt, healed and made whole again?