(757) 369-0511 (h)
(757) 813-4817 (m)
Email me at: pastor_ken_peterson@cox.net
Pix of Ken's Northwest College days
Link to: Carol's
Website
My wife Carol and I have lived in Newport News, Virginia since 2004 when we came here to pastor Providence Mennonite Church. Since 2010 I am the pastor of Ivy Farms Church of the Brethren. At age 69, I still enjoy pastoring.
Over the years, my wife Carol has been a fantastic helper and
supporter of pastoral ministry. She is a very talented genealogist,
Paralegal, tax expert, mother, grandmother, and my wonderful friend. We
have two daughters, the eldest, Angenette "Angie" and husband David
Hathaway live in Seattle and have two children. 
Their
daughter, Tiffany Hathaway is currently attending Northwest University
where she is an RA this year. Their son, Nick is a Senior in High
School with plans to join the Marines. Our youngest daughter, Elizabeth
and husband Jeff Trayner live in Los Angeles. Jeff is a paralegal in
LA, and Elizabeth is Assistant Director for Staff Development and
Diversity in the Office for Residential Education at the University of
Southern California.
For several decades I have done a number of "Sermon-in-Songs" all over the U.S. My daughter, Elizabeth often has accompanied me on the piano and sung with me. Of course, the idea came from our college concert choir with Dorothy Amundsen. She was a creative lady and wonderful director.
One of the great highlights of our life and ministry, was pastoring a Mennonite Church in the Los Angeles area for 10 years (1976-1986). We loved LA and return there for vacations and church reunions rather frequently. We will be going to LA this spring (Mid-May) for my youngest daughter's doctoral graduation (pending the completion of her dissertation in Education Administration).
1968: Following graduating from Northwest College/University, I worked at King's Gardens in Seattle for 1 1/2 years with Bible clubs and Christian camping. Then I went to Portland, Oregon to attend Western Evangelical Seminary. While studying there for 4 years I worked in an inner city Mennonite Church as an assistant pastor and youth leader as well as directing a voluntary youth center and children's program in the basement of the church.
1973: Following seminary I went Aberdeen, Idaho to serve as a summer assistant pastor. It was there that I met and married Carol Kosanke. After our wedding, we loaded a U-Haul and moved to Ritzville, Washington to pastor Menno Mennonite Church in the country for 3 years.
1976: We moved to Southern California in 1976 to pastor First Mennonite Church of Upland, CA for 10 years. It was a dying church when we started, and filled with conflict. After 6 months the conflict ended and after 2 year began to grow.
1986: We moved to the Portland area in 1976 to pastor Calvary Mennonite Church for 3 years. It was a very difficult church to pastor, even though we loved the people.
1989: We moved to Freeman, South Dakota, in 1989 to pastor Hutterthal Mennonite Church for 10 years. We loved the community and church, and were highly involved in the Mennonite school and many community activities.
1999: We moved to Flanagan, Illinois in 1999 to help two Mennonite churches become one. It was a fun and interesting adventure. We had committed to serve for only 1 1/2 years to work on the merger. It was a very successful and good experience.
2001: We moved to Hillsboro, Kansas in 2001 to pastor First Mennonite Church. There we had a house built for us, which we had to sell when we moved again in 2003.
2003: This time we moved to Deer Creek Mennonite Church, Oklahoma where I served as interim pastor for 6 months.
2004: Our last move was to Newport News, Virginia to pastor Providence Mennonite Church where we served for 6 years.
2010: Upon completion of our ministry at Providence, but did not wish to move again (couldn't afford to move at our age, didn't have the energy to move, and we love it here in Newport News, wishing to retire here). Mennonite Church USA was gracious enough to work out the complicated details of loaning us to Church of the Brethren. God worked out the details rather quickly and we have pastored Ivy Farms Church of the Brethren, here in Newport News, Virginia, loving it for nearly 2 years now.
[ article material submitted 3/13/12 ]