Rev. Tim Johnson

 

The Rev. Tim Johnson

Pastor Tim is a fairly new member of St. John’s but a long-time resident of Mound. He joined our St. John’s staff this summer on a part-time basis as the Director of Mission & Stewardship.

Tim was born in Northfield, MN where his father taught Sociology at St. Olaf College. His family eventually moved to San Diego, CA and Tim would later graduate from San Diego State University with a BA in Psychology. When he was 29, Tim felt the call to pursue ordained ministry and he attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Iowa. (This was after spending a number of years in furniture manufacturing, including having owned his own business.) Tim served in Mesa, Arizona before receiving a call to All Saints Lutheran in Minnetonka, where he served almost 15 years.

Most recently, Tim served on staff back at Wartburg Seminary, but has now taken a position with Kairos and Associates, working as a consultant with congregations as they develop a variety of ministry objectives. Tim lives here in Mound with his youngest son, Noah, who in 10th grade at the high school; his oldest son, Sheamus, is into his third year at UMD.

Among the many things that he is excited about becoming connected with St. John’s is a focus on both mission and stewardship. Tim has led hundreds of people on mission trips over the years, principally into northern Mexico, serving at an orphanage (www.casahogarelim.org) and two surrounding poor colonias. He is co-founder of a MN non-profit, Gracious Giving, Inc., and recently concluded a School Partnership Project with local high schools (including Westonka), gathering school supplies for children in Mexico. Click here to read the Laker article. The distribution helped supply two schools which have significant needs.

Tim knows that St. John’s has a long history of mission work, and he is excited to help reinvigorate past as well as new participants to dream about future ministry. His hope is to promote an ever-growing culture of generosity that reflects our true essence of having been created in the image of God, who shows us what life is all about–being great givers!

Pastor Tim preaches periodically, shepherds our new Youth Director Greg Sletten, teaches confirmation and bible study classes, helps lead our Men’s Ministry, and invests his energies into Mission and Stewardship.

He would love to sit over a cup of coffee with anyone who would like to dream and share about the ministry of St. John’s.