Scott grew up on a farm near Pittsfield in West Central Illinois.  As a boy he was an avid reader and spent much of his childhood imagining other worlds beyond his own.  He also grew up with a desire to know how things work and this led him to technological pursuits, initially studying computer science during his first two years at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

He reconnected with his faith and experienced a call to ministry while a student at the Wesley Foundation (United Methodist campus ministry) at Carbondale.  Southern Illinois was a wonderful place to explore ministry, especially through his experiences at First United Methodist Church in Marion, under the direction of Rev. Dr. Victor Long.

Scott had his eyes on other seminaries, but Bishop Don Ott stopped by his office in Green Bay one day and convinced him to visit Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, his alma mater.  It immediately felt like home and he immediately applied, was accepted, and looked no further.

Field education gave him experiences alongside of his classes which shaped his ministry and kept him rooted in relationships.  He met Carrie Berry in his second year (her first) and they married in 2010.  Scott & Carolyn have, since, been a clergy couple in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, though never serving in the same church.

Scott is adept at technology and helps congregations connect to their communities and God through the internet, social media, video, and graphics.  He also enjoys holding “out-of-the-office” hours out in the community during the week so that he can connect with people beyond the church and be available for church members to stop in and see him.

Connect

Scott can be found on most social media as “scotteugene79.”  He is most active on these platforms:  Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.