James was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has lived in Blaine, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; Florida (Miami and the Tampa Area); and British Columbia. Since 2016, he has called the Rogue Valley home.  His life journey has given him an appreciation for the diversity of God's creation and he will tell you that he has lived in the most beautiful place on earth, multiple times in his life, and still does. Before finding the United Church of Christ, James pastored churches in the United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Covenant Church.  

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James is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and the way of Jesus, but values the insights of our faiths, and traditions and wisdom paths. He is a firm believer in the radical welcome and love of God. His vision for Medford Congregational UCC is that we would continue to be a place of inclusion, that we would be committed to standing with the vulnerable and the marginalized in our community, and that we would join hands with others in the work of Justice, creation care, and the mutual flourishing of all.

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James has a Masters of Divinity from Regent College and is trained as Spiritual Director with a certificate in Spiritual Direction and Social Transformation, from the Minnesota Institute of Contemplation and Healing (MICAH) and the Center for Prophetic Imagination. When he is not in church, he spends his time running, biking, hiking, making art, playing guitar, and reading. James and his wife, Sarah, live in Medford, with the four children, and two cats.