When did you start attending Community?

Paul:  It has been 8 years at least. The first time we visited Community we just about didn’t make it in on time. We were the last ones in there and we sat in the last row. Right off the bat the music and everything was great. I said “Oh yes, I like this.”

Sherrie: We walked out at the end of the service and that was it. We were at home.

Are you both from California?

Paul: We are from the Midwest and came out to California in 1976. We have a place on Clear Lake in Iowa so we leave California for the summer and spent a few months in Iowa.  

Sherrie: It’s a small community and we have family and friends there from back when we lived in Iowa. Both of our kids and their families all come out during the summer for a family vacation. Our son, his wife, and two boys live up in San Jose and our Daughter, her husband, and her two boys live in Fallbrook.

What was your occupation before you retired?

Paul: I was a marketing director for many, many years. I was transferred here to California for a company I was with and I was there for about 17 years. I traveled a lot all over the West and to Hawaii. I left that job for another opportunity and was with them for quite a few years, and after that I was with a company from South Carolina. Both my daughter and my son are in marketing as well.

Sherrie: I was the office manager for an elementary school for 17 years. When we moved down to San Diego I decided I wanted to go in to general business instead. I found a job I loved here in Escondido and I ended up being in charge of marketing. Towards the end of my career I was traveling a lot. We’ve all travelled a lot in our careers.

What are your hobbies?

Sherrie: We love to travel. We’ve been very fortunate to be able to travel our whole married life. We’ve been married 51 years this month. I think we both agree our trip to the Mediterranean was the best trip. Our trip to the South Pacific was great as well. We really like Hawaii and have been there many times.

Paul: Last year, for our 50^th wedding anniversary we flew to Fiji and then to Sidney and got a cruise ship for 3 weeks around the South Pacific. We’ve been fortunate because of the years we’ve traveled for work that we would get points. I don’t think we’ve ever bought a plane ticket.

Sherrie: We’d still like to go to the Panama Canal. That is on our bucket list. Other than travel, Paul likes to work in the Garden. We both love to read and I used to play a lot of Bridge. We do lots of volunteer things as well.

51 years of marriage is big accomplishment. What advice would you give to other married couples?

Sherrie: Good communication is so important. I think we both had to learn to really share and talk. You are going to get very busy in your own lives when you have jobs and you are raising children and everything that is going on. We would always try to communicate as much as possible, especially when one of us was travelling a lot.

Paul: And you’ve got to have a good sense of humor. Having good friends and outside actives is important. You cannot be sheltered to each other. Find other things that you feel good about.

Sherrie: And keep the good Lord on top. He can help you through an awful lot. Marriage isn’t always a bed of roses.

Paul: There are always trials and tribulations. That is part of marriage and you just work through it.

Sherrie: And tell each other every day that you love ‘em.

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