Greg and Wendy live on Mercer Island, love going for walks in Pioneer Park and taking care of their two granddaughters. Here’s their story.

Wendy (a retired educator) and I have three adult daughters. Kristin, our oldest,  lives and works in San Diego County where she is on-staff at a large church. Allison, our middle daughter, is a preschool teacher in Bellevue and is married to Pastor Tim Anderson.  They live in Snoqualmie and have two children (Imogen - age 7 and Ivy - 5). Lauren, our youngest, and her husband Scotty live on Mercer Island. Lauren is a classical musician teaching flute in her Mercer Island studio. She also works for Seattle Aviation Solutions.

Our Journey to Mercer Island

I grew up in Wenatchee, and Wendy was raised in Mexico City. 

We moved to Mercer Island from Naperville, Illinois, where we raised our family. The reason we relocated to suburban Seattle was job-related. I was called to serve the Covenant church on Mercer Island as lead pastor. While in that capacity, I also served as president of the Mercer Island Clergy Association. Most notably, we hosted Tent City during that time.

Educational Background

Wendy and I received our undergraduate degrees from Seattle Pacific University in 1974. Wendy was a French and education major and I majored in Biblical Literature and Speech Communication. We both obtained our B. A. degrees.

I pursued my graduate degree at Fuller Seminary in California and North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, where I received my Master of Divinity degree.

A Love Story

Wendy and I never dated in college however we got to know each other quite well having dated each other's roommates at Seattle Pacific. Our lives reconnected several years later when I was beginning my career as a parish pastor and she was teaching school. Our favorite game during our courtship was Scrabble - I proposed to Wendy on a Scrabble board, spelling out "Will you marry me?" with interlocking letters.

Our Careers

Wendy, now retired, worked in the Mercer Island School District as a substitute teacher and Spanish instructor. She especially loved working with special needs students. She has also been involved with the local chapter of Community Bible Study, where she was part of the leadership team. She now spends much of her time babysitting our grandchildren.

This year marks my 45th year as a Protestant minister. I have served congregations in Concord, California, Naperville, Illinois and two churches in the Seattle area. My last posting was a ten-year assignment as chaplain at Covenant Living at the Shores, from which I retired in July 2023. Chaplaincy at "The Shores" was my most fulfilling season of ministry. I love older people and had opportunity to use my varied interests and creative instincts in a resort-like setting.

I came out of retirement earlier this year to serve the International Church of Luzern in Switzerland as the interim pastor for three months. I am currently volunteering as alumni ambassador for Seattle Pacific University where I was employed fifty years ago as the director of church relations.

I have been the faith and values columnist for The Mercer Island Reporter since 2005.

Since 2002 I have written a weekly poetic blog www.myrhymesandreasons.com  I have written sixteen books, several of which are available at Island Books)

Two of my most recent books relate to Mercer Island and feature photographs from the area. One is titled "Paper Bag Poems in Pioneer Park" The other is titled "Faces in the Forest."

But my most popular book is "Finding God in It's a Wonderful Life" in which I explore spiritual themes in the timeless Christmas movie.

What unique talents or interests does each family member bring to the mix?

Wendy is the niece of the late Haida carver Bill Reid, whose artistic legacy is celebrated in throughout Canada. (Haida carvers are artists who use a black slate called argillite to create carvings that are an important part of the Pacific Northwest Coast's indigenous art style.)

Wendy was born in Vancouver, BC. She grew up as a missionary kid in Mexico City and became a naturalized U.S. in 2000. Our son-in-law Tim Anderson (married to Allison) is the Associate Pastor for Youth and Worship at Creekside Covenant Church in Redmond. Our son-in-law Scotty Moore (married to Lauren) is a journeyman apprentice working in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

How do you celebrate holidays or special occasions as a family?

We celebrate Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day at our family cottage on Lake Chelan. One of our favorite traditions is having breakfast each Christmas Eve at Salish Lodge as a family.

What are your favorite places to visit around the community?

Since moving here in 2005, the drive-through Starbucks on the north end of the Island is my remote office. It was a great location at which to do pre-marital counseling sessions and host men's fellowships groups. Because of it being an extension of my work at the church, early on I started referring to Starbucks as St. Arbucks. Two of our daughters have worked as baristas there.

One of our favorite summer activities as a couple is driving to Alki Beach after dinner for ice cream and watching the sunset. We also love going to Mio Posto for Happy Hour and we are big fans of Island Books (and not just because they stock my books). My favorite store however is MITS (Mercer Island Thrift Shop). Our grandchildren love playing at the "train park" next to MITS in Mercerdale Park as well as Deane's Dragon Park near our home.

For the past ten years, I have served as the volunteer chaplain for the Mercer Island Police and Fire Departments, comforting and encouraging residents during emergencies. I also serve as the "Bard of Pioneer Park," posting poems on brown paper bags on a whimsical-looking tree in the park, known as the "poet tree." This initiative resulted in a book called "Paper Bag Poems in Pioneer Park."

I joined Mercer Island Rotary in 2006 and was a member for 15 years. Our family supports the Free Wheelchair Mission, an organization providing free wheelchairs to those in need around the world. I introduced this organization to Mercer Island Rotary, which sent a delegation to India to assemble and distribute wheelchairs.

One of our favorite family memories is supporting the Mercer Island High School Marching Band in 2006 when our daughter was a member, and traveling to New York City to support MIHS instrumentalists, including our daughter Lauren, who performed at Carnegie Hall. Wendy and I love living near Pioneer Park, where we walk four times a week, often meeting and visiting with neighbors.

Living on Mercer Island has been a fulfilling experience, and we are grateful to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community.