by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
Even during his interview for the job, Pastor Jeff Sackett said he felt he and the people of Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell “just clicked.”
When he landed the job, he was very happy.
“It’s a lovely place,” he said. “I’m just getting my feet wet, but I feel so warmly welcomed by these great people. I’m really enjoying it. It’s a great opportunity to be here.”
Sackett’s first day on the job was Monday, Feb. 20.
Born and raised in Rochester, Sackett studied communications and religion at St. Olaf College, then earned a master of divinity at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He then worked as a youth pastor in East Lansing, Mich.; as an associate pastor at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall; and as a solo pastor for the past 14 years at South Santiago Church in rural Clear Lake, near Becker.
His wife, Lisa, is an 11th-grade English teacher at Becker High School. The couple has three children: twins Emily and Hannah, who are seniors at Becker High School; and Colin, a ninth-grader at Becker High School.
The Sackett family still lives just north of Becker, and Pastor Jeff will be commuting to Sartell for some time, but the family plans to sell its house and move to the Sartell area as soon as that becomes feasible.
Sackett’s hobbies are hunting, fishing, bow-hunting and canoeing and camping with his son in the Boundary Waters area.
