People

Pastor Bridget Jones (she/her)

Role at Messiah

Rev. Bridget Jones is the Pastor of Faith Formation at Messiah, which is a brand-new position. It means her role right now is a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure: what does Lutheran faith formation look like in Auburn, Washington, in this post-covid 21st century? Let’s find out together! Right now it looks a lot like building relationships with youth and families, building relationships between youth and families, and building relationships between Messiah and the community in which we live.

As we discover together what our gifts and callings are, we will determine how best to structure programs, events, and activities so that people of all ages can grow in faith to love God and one another.

Hometown

Bridget was born in Mesa, Arizona, but grew up in Altoona, Wisconsin, with her twin sister Natalie.  Their house overlooked Lake Altoona, and is probably the reason she loves to spend time on and near the water.

Training

Bridget attended the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (Go Big Red!) and graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science in 2013.  With the help of her Lutheran Campus Ministry, around junior year she was surprised to discover that she was called to ministry.  Bridget spent a year discerning the call while working in a church in Milwaukee serving with Lutheran Volunteer Corps.

She then attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago because she was drawn to their Public Church Curriculum – a new way of being church out in the world.  She graduated with an environmental emphasis in 2018 and was ordained the same year after being called to serve Bethel Lutheran Church in Superior, Wisconsin.

Passions

In her one summer working at Luther Park Bible Camp, Bridget rediscovered the ways that church could be fun, and strives to bring an element of joy to the work of the church! She believes it is so incredibly important that learning not stop after Sunday school and Affirmation of Baptism, and she strives to ensure people of all ages are continuing to engage our scriptures, our teachings, and our traditions in new and innovative ways.  She is also passionate about creation care, anti-oppression work, and community organizing.

Fun Facts

Bridget has shared her life with her sweet and energetic goldendoodle Ginny for the past three years and looks forward to bringing her to work often.  In addition to hiking and exploring with Ginny, Bridget also enjoys taking improv and sketch-writing classes, reading, going on bike rides, completing puzzles, traveling around the world, and meeting up with friends in person and over zoom to catch up and play games.

She is extremely excited to be living closer to her twin sister (in the same state for the first time in 13 years!) and loves being close enough to make trips up to Everett to see Natalie and her husband.

She can’t whistle, can’t stop obsessing over lavender, and can’t wait to get to know everyone at Messiah!