Resident pastor: Hayden Kvamme
A congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, April 7, 10:10 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The purpose of this short meeting will be to call Peter Pettit as teaching pastor and Hayden Kvamme as resident pastor at St. Paul.
As resident pastor, Hayden Kvamme would take part in St. Paul’s two-year residency program for new pastors. Funded through the Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis, it is designed to shape wise pastoral practices in the context of a healthy congregation.
Tell us about your family/where you grew up/went to college.
I was born in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, outside of Denver, but my parents moved a lot during my childhood. When I was 9, we moved to West Des Moines, Iowa, where I graduated from high school. After high school, I attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, where I studied math, but also cherished a handful of philosophy and Greek courses. Kathryn, my wife, and I met in October 2015 and were married in September 2016 (we love to tell the story, so just ask!). We have one daughter, Maggie, who will be two this August, and a second child on the way. Kathryn and I are both blessed to be close with our parents, who of course love seeing Maggie whenever they can. Both sets live in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota.
What makes you, you?
I’ve always loved learning, playing sports, and spending time with friends. In high school I played baseball and football, and still enjoy getting outside to play team sports when I can—it’s about the only way I can get myself to exercise! I also love playing board games, and Kathryn and I are especially into cooperative games, like Pandemic. From a young age faith has shaped my life. The Disciples of Christ church I grew up in had an excellent youth program through which I met many close friends as we learned about Jesus and practiced serving others in our community. During Seminary at Wartburg I have cherished the daily worship in the chapel. One of my favorite activities is simply talking to other people about their faith, and how they see God at work in their daily life.
Why did you want to become a pastor?
In fifth grade, I decided I wanted to be a math teacher! I have loved math for as long as I can remember, and still do. In eleventh grade, though, I had the opportunity to complete a project on creation and evolution in which I studied various perspectives on the relationship between the two. The project culminated in a presentation at my church. By the end of the project, I found myself thinking, I love this: perhaps, instead of math, God is calling me to teach about faith in God, and instead of just to kids, to people of all ages. While my sense of vocation has grown and expanded over time to include more than just teaching, I have been discerning a call to ordained ministry ever since. I will graduate from Wartburg Theological Seminary in May.
Audrey Keeney
Looking forward to your coming to serve here at St Paul and getting to know you.