How did you find Community?

When we moved to Escondido from Florida we were looking for a preschool for Sarah. It was through the preschool that we started going to church. We just loved the service from the start. Everyone was so friendly and we felt at home right away. We didn’t even bother looking anywhere else.

Sarah, do you have any siblings?

Sarah: I have three brothers. It’s loud and crazy. They are 14, 10, and 9 years old.

How did you end up in Escondido?

Jackie: I grew up in South Dakota and came out to San Diego for the Navy. I was a nurse and at the time that I graduated they were heavily recruiting nurses. They promised I would go to San Diego and it sounds like a good thing. Dan and I met in the Navy. We got married in San Diego and went to Florida for five years. Then we were back here for three years and then Okinawa for three years and then back here since 2006.

We lived on base in Okinawa. It was like being in the 1950s. It was very safe. All your kids could play outside. You didn’t have to worry. There were a lot of fun things to do. The downside was it was a tiny island so you could do them all very quickly. There were a lot of really nice people and we were used to moving so it was an environment where you could make friends quickly. I would have liked it better except that I had two kids while we were there so I was pregnant the whole time.

Sarah: I loved living in Okinawa and loved the culture there. I am now looking into focusing on international studies in college and traveling in Asia.

What grade are you in?

Sarah: I am a senior this year and I am home schooled. I have a list of nine colleges I’ve applied to. I am looking mostly at smaller colleges. Some of them are in California, but I am also looking at Valparaiso, College of William and Mary, and Concordia Nebraska. Concordia Nebraska has a minor in Mandarin so that sounds really interesting.

How did you decide to home school four kids?

Jackie: We were living in Okinawa and we had one choice for school and it wasn’t a good option for us. We were going to home school for just the one year, but we really liked it and didn’t want to stop. Between Dan and I we both have certain subjects that we are better at. The day usually lasts until about 3:30pm and then we are off to the Y for all the sports stuff or scouts. I used to do all the teaching but as the kids have gotten older Dan and I have had to both take on different classes. There are just too many things to try to teach for one person to handle. I think my favorite classes to teach have been the Latin and the science classes.

What types of actives do you do as a family?

Jackie: We like to travel. We do RV trips together. Mostly, we all like to snow ski. That is the big thing that everyone can do and no one is unhappy. We go to Mammoth more than any other place. Dan is clearly the best skier and he always will be. I don’t think anyone else is that in to being the perfect skiers. The boys just want to have fun and go fast.

What was one big event in your family’s life?

Jackie: We lost our South Escondido house during the 2007 wild fires. We were on vacation at the time so we weren’t home to evacuate or save anything. We were flying home the day of the fire had no idea what was going on. We were stuck in traffic thinking that it was going to take forever to get home and we had no idea that our house was already gone. After listening to the radio we started to learn more about what was going on. We called a friend of mine who explained what was going on. You think about all that stuff that was lost, but you know half that stuff you don’t remember you had anyway. Loosing pictures and my address book, those are the big things.

Sarah: I was nine when that happened and I remember going back to where the house had burned down and digging through the rubble to see if anything was saved.

Jackie: We’ve had big, huge things that have happened in our life and if you’ve never had it happen you think “oh no that would be so terrible.” And then it happens and it doesn’t wind up being as bad as you think. God is always there to fix the situation. He always sends the right people to help you out.

WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY TREE PROJECT? 

Community Lutheran Church is a growing congregation worshiping 550 people between two campuses each week. As we continue grow, it is important that our relationships with one another continue to grow as well.  Over the coming months, our church website and Facebook page will be introducing you to a member of Community that you may or may not know yet. You’ll have the opportunity to learn a little about each member and delight in the different personalities and lifestyles that come together each week to worship our Savior.

When you join us for worship on Sunday mornings or events throughout the week, we encourage you to reach out and connect with someone you don’t normally talk to. As Pastor Vogelsang so eloquently reminds us, we are all “dear Christian friends.” We just don’t know each other yet! I’d like to change that one photo at a time.

"So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:25-27