Stuff about me: my life, my interests, my hobbies....
Born in Tracy, Minnesota Dec. 4, 1962. I grew up on a farm between Tracy and Walnut Grove Minnesota (A little house on the prairie so to speak, but the Ingalls family had moved away long before I entered the scene). My dad, Roy Earl Syverson, is still farming near Tracy. My mother, Delores Syverson helps out on the farm too, but she also heads up the Housekeeping (shouldn't it be Hospitalkeeping?) and Laundry at the Tracy Hospital. I have one sister, Debbie, who now lives in Indiana with her husband Tim and four kids: Taylor, Tammy, Tiffany and Tasha.
While my early years were spent in the Methodist Church in Walnut Grove, my Junior and Senior High years were spent in the Tracy Alliance Church (Christian and Missionary Alliance--if you've not heard of it you're not alone, but keep looking through these pages, you'll find out a great deal more about it).
In my Junior year of High School a rather remarkable thing happened, probably one of the most important things in helping me overcome my shyness. I made the cast of a school play that I didn't even try out for. One of my best friends in High School wasn't able to go to the Play try-outs and had worked it out with the teacher, Mr. Landman, to try out the next day during Lunch Hour instead. He was supposed to find someone else to come with him to read the other parts. I somehow got recruited to help. Going into Mr. Landman's room, I made it very clear that I wasn't trying out for the play. The next day as I walked into the school another good friend of mine (Who had tried out and had the lead in the play) hollered down the hall to me: "Hey Jefferson, you made the play!"
"I made what?" was my first reaction?"
"You made the play." He repeated.
"I didn't try out! I told him I wasn't trying out". I went right to Mr. Landman's room, and looked at the list....sure enough I made a play I hadn't tried out for. It took some arm-twisting, but Mr. Landman did convince me to let my name stand. The play experience was a great one, I loved it. Next year I had the lead in The Man Who Came to Dinner. Getting to know Mr. Landman also gave me confidence the next year when I had him for speech class. He gave me permission to use my twisted sense of humor (especially during the Parliamentary procedure portion and the final speech on Efficiency Ettiquette) and I was beginning to enjoy this public speaking stuff. My senior year I was chosen one of three class speakers, presumably because they thought I would give a humorous speech: For the most part I did. God continued to lead and open doors. Whose says He doesn't have a sense of humor?
Largely through that winter retreat I knew that I was going to go to St. Paul Bible College (Crown College) after graduation from Tracy High School (If you're from Minnesota you know Tracy High School as the school where the girls sports are always great and the guys are usually mediocre). God used my experiences at SPBC in many ways to prepare me for the ministry. He especially used Summer Tour Groups. In 1983, Jim Rightler (the man in charge of the summer music groups) twisted my arm to be in a summer tour group. I resisted and resisted, but finally gave in. The summer of 1983 was a turning point in my life. It was an incredible experience. In 1985, I was the group leader. In 1986 I toured again with Triumphant Song. What an experience to bring a shy farm boy out of his shell. Each night you would talk and sing in front of a new audience. Each evening we stayed in the home of another family. You learned to communicate in both small and large settings. God continued to make a way.
In 1986 I graduated from SPBC after 5 full years (With majors in Music Education and Bible and Theology) and several changes of my major. I was a little side-tracked from God's plan at the time. I had talked myself out of being a Pastor somehow. I knew that I needed to be in ministry somehow, but I just couldn't see the Pastoral role being the place for me. So I set out to become a Music Teacher. After closed door after closed door, I received a phone call from a School Administrator in Southern Minnesota. He tracked me down while I was on Summer Tour. He wanted me to come in for an interview. I asked for some more information about the job. He said that it was Music and Spanish position and that I would be teaching 2 hours of spanish a day as well as the music. I quickly told him that I didn't know any Spanish (except for a few mexican foods). He said he didin't care. I knew at that moment that it was not the place I wanted to be. I also sensed that God was using this to grab my attention.
Instead of teaching, I ended up going back to the Northwestern Bookstore in Wayzata, MN where I had worked during my college years. The Assistant Manager was leaving and I was offered the position. I also began looking for a part time Minister of Music position in a local church. After one unusual circumstances where I was being interviewed for the same position as one of my College Professors (he got the job, I didn't), I had just about given up hope. Then I got a phone call from Pastor Mays from Word of Life Alliance Church in Coon Rapids, MN. He had gotten my name from the just mentioned professor as someone who might be a likely candidate for a Minister of Music job. Two weeks later I inteviewed with Word of Life, in another 2 weeks I was on staff. We had a great group of musicians at Word of Life and I loved my time there. I really miss the accompanists and the Choir (we had a great men's section; a little rowdy, but with a great sound). God used Pastor Mays ministry to get me back on track and he began to encourage me to teach and preach in addition to my other responsibilities. When he moved to Cincinnati in 1989, he asked me to come with him as Assistant Pastor of Youth and Music. He also helped me through my ordination studies. He saw things in me, I probably was unable to see at the time and encouraged me to pursue God's call in my life.
My district Superitendent, Dr. Keith Bailey, also was a big encouragment to me in pursuing God's continued direction in my life. In 1993, he encouraged me to take a Senior Pastor position. When the Middletown Church opened up, he was instrumental in gettting us together. I have been here at Faith Alliance Church in Middletown OH since July, 1993 and enjoy my ministry here greatly.
The next Chapter is yet to be written. Will you play a part in it?
- Books and Bookstores, especially old books and used bookstores.
- Music: listening to it, singing it, playing the keyboard, going to concerts, etc.. I love most any style if it is done well but I especially enjoy classical, jazz, and C.C.M. (Contemporary Christian Music)
- Computers, the internet, and creating web pages (a lot of that lately)
- Sending strange E-mail to my colleagues and friends.
- Hiking: the outdoors, lakes, woods, mountains, etc.
- Good food: Italian, Chinese, Midwest American Cuisine etc.
- Making Messes (I'm an expert)
- Bible quizzing (I'm one of the Quizmasters for my district)
- Good fellowship (with people of all ages)
- Being the District Preoccupation (Something to do with the fact I'm still single, I guess)
- Collecting Quotations and illustrations.
- Listening to and reading great preachers and preaching.
- Laughing, joking around and enjoying life!!!
