Family: My wife Martha, and our four children Emily, Zach, Will, and Leah. They all grew up here in Newtown, went through the public schools, and were involved in various activities. Our youngest, Leah, is in her junior year of college, and the other three have all finished college.

How did you meet your wife? Martha and I met at church. I was a youth minister at her home church, where she grew up, and she was back from college, and had just started a job. This was in the Boston area and she had started helping with the youth program.

Pets: We have a dog, Izzy, who’s a Jack Russell mix we rescued, and we have a goldfish.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We’ve been here 19 years.

Work: I am the lead pastor at Newtown Congregational Church.

Are you an active member of any organizations, clubs, and/or communities of faith? There’s the church, of course, and I also coordinate the local interfaith council. I also lead other denominational ministries including Fairfield East Association. I’m on the board there.

What did you want to be when you grew up? It depends on what age you ask me, but when I was young and we’d go to the farm in Iowa, I thought I wanted to be a farmer. But then my mom told me farmers work really hard. They don’t get to just drive a tractor all day.

Do you have a favorite author? On my religious side, my favorite author is Frederick Buechner. I’m also a great fan of John Steinbeck.

What was the most recent book you’ve read? I read bits and pieces of books a lot of times, but the most recent book I read through was Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Brueggemann.

Do you play any musical instruments? I play mostly guitar these days. When I was growing up I played saxophone for years. I also sing, which is also how Martha and I met — we were both musicians and singers, and we’d sing together and perform music together.

Favorite music genre? Folk music, Americana.

Favorite performer? James Taylor.

What was the most recent concert you went to? We’ve gone to a lot of a cappella concerts recently. Our daughter in college right now is in an a cappella group, so right now we are driven oftentimes by family activities and seeing the kids in various things.

Favorite color? Green.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? The best piece of advice I was given was years ago, after I’d just finished college. I hiked a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail the summer after I graduated and I met a gentleman who lived in a small trailer park in the desert in southern California, and he told me “All you can do is put yourself in God’s hands and trust that God will take care of you.”

What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment is that I found my wife Martha, and built a life with her, and had four kids, who are each their own person and have blossomed into wonderful human beings.

What is your favorite thing about Newtown? My favorite thing about Newtown is that it’s actually very large but it feels very small.

Do you have a personal credo? I adopt the credo from the prophet in the Old Testament who said “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”