 Both attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and graduated with masters of divinity degrees in 1988.On August 13, 1989 they were ordained at St. Paul’s in Waverly.In September 1989, he was called to serve at Resurrection Lutheran Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin; he later served as pastor at Resurrection from 1989–1997, and at All Saints Lutheran Church in Wales, Wisconsin, from January 1998 to August 2002.