Getting to know Strathmore’s newest pastor

Times Reporter  

 

Sally Carlson was raised in her home state of Minnesota, not knowing she was going to become a pastor of a church, especially considering her family has a teaching background. Her life decision was altered when she came to Canada and settled in Strathmore.

“I actually first came into Canada, to Strathmore, to attend a school called Covenant Bible College. It’s associated with our denomination and lots of students would come up here to go to school,” said Carlson.

“Strathmore is the first place I lived in Canada and it was small when I came in the late ‘90s and not a lot here,” said Carlson. She came back in 2001 to work at the Bible College and stayed again until 2004.

“When I finished working there I returned back to the States for a while and worked and lived in Chicago. I decided to go to a seminary to become a pastor,” said Carlson. 

Before that Carlson was already working at Ministries with college students. When she started seminary, Carlson met her husband Dan who is also a pastor.

“He had his first call to a church in Saskatchewan so that is why I came back to Canada,” said Carlson.

“When I finished seminary we pastored together at our church in Saskatchewan. We were there for four years,” said Carlson.

Upon arrival back in Strathmore she landed a job at the Hope Community Covenant Church.

“My focus here is kids, teens, students and missions and I’m hoping to help our church connect with kids in Strathmore and its growing community,” said Carlson.

What she hopes to accomplish with Hope Church is to educate people and express how God is always watching, and reminding people that the church is a good place to go knowing he is there for you. 

Part of the education process in the town will be to create a program to get that message out, while informing people more about the church itself. 

New to the church grounds this year is the community garden, created by Communities in Bloom.

“The community garden is looking for ways to help kids and students get connected and helping them learn where their food came from, what does it look like to eat healthy,” said Carlson.

As Carlson gains more experience, she knows the relationship with church-goers will get stronger. She also feels as people get to know her better it will draw more kids to the church as things are happening, she hopes to be a resource for them.

Carlson has a unique situation in her family as she as she has a twin brother and two younger twin brothers.

She also has a passion for travelling and having a concern for events that happened worldwide and to offer assistance.

“I also have a passion for missions and things happening abroad and experiencing different cultures,” said Carlson. She is a well-rounded traveller, which has taken her to places like Mexico, Haiti, Ecuador, China, Egypt, Israel and the West Bank.