Michael was born in 1974 just outside of Dallas, TX. Yes, he's a Texan, but we don't hold that against him. His family had a gospel group that toured throughout North Eastern Texas which, even as a young boy, helped him develop in his musical skills. "I remember being in the house when my parents would have weekly rehearsals with their gospel group. Just hearing the incredible sound of sweet harmony, even at such a young age, really struck me. I soon showed a natural vocal talent and so my parents worked with me and taught me a lot." Now, getting him to play an instrument was a little more difficult. "Yeah, I liked the guitar and I would pick it up and learn a chord or two then get tired of it and quit playing. It wasn't until much later that I really had the desire to start playing." When he was 19 he moved to Nashville with hopes of becoming a country music artist but after being there and seeing what the industry was like he started having doubts. "It just was an intimidating environment. My sister, who is several years older than I, had already been in Nashville for many years and had come so close a couple of times to landing a record deal just to have it yanked away due to musical politics. It started to hit me that it didn't really matter if you had talent, but rather who you knew. Also, in many cases it required you to sell out on your christian values."

"That was the beginning of my realization that I didn't want it that bad. and really didn't care if I was ever famous." So, in time, he moved back to Texas and, as it happens, met Kari and was quickly smittened and married a year later. After they were married, we moved to Nashville to try to get into Christian music. It was at this junction of their lives that they were able to get involved in a really great church and really started to grow in their faith and grow as a couple. After more than a year and a half, they felt a strong calling to move back to Kari's home town of Canby, OR. "We joined Canby Christian and immediately started to get involved." Michael quickly joined the worship team and took off from there. He was involved with Ken Harvey in developing a new evening service with a more contemporary flare. It wasn't long until he started to feel the tug of God calling him into ministry.

"Canby was our HOME and it was extremely difficult to leave when I was eventually offered a position at Oregon City Christian Church to lead worship on a part time basis. God just confirmed to us through various ways that we were supposed to go there. So we were obedient to His calling." Michael served for over a year as their worship pastor but always felt a tug towards Canby Christian. " I was so appreciative of the time at Oregon City and I learned so much and developed a great friendship with Ken Swatman (OCC Sr. Pastor). I can see now why God called us there even if just for a year. " Canby eventually began seeking a new worship pastor and after much prayer, Michael and Kari left Oregon City and came back to Canby where he eventually stepped in as interim for the evening contemporary service then a short time later was asked to be the interim for the morning services as well. He was hired a few months later as our full time worship pastor and we can see great things ahead for our worship ministry. Today, Michael and Kari have been married for over 12 years and have one child (Delaney) and are truly blessed. Currently they have also taken on the responsibility of foster parenting. "It's an exciting and thing to open up your home to children in need of a home and security."

"It's such an exciting time here and we can see God's hand of blessing upon our church and are so excited to see where God wants us to go as a church body."