Tanden Brekke

Where did you grow up/go to school?
I grew up on a farm in central Iowa. I graduated from North Central University in Minneapolis.

What is your current position at Bethel and for how long?
I’m currently assistant campus pastor and I work with Twin Cities Outreach (TCO) and Sankofa. TCO is a program that connects students with opportunities to serve and learn from churches and not-for-profit organizations that are working in diverse communities. Sankofa, a spring break trip that visits the civil rights sites of the South and opens up conversations about racial issues past, present, and future. I’ve been in Campus Ministries since 2008.

What is your family like? (Spouses, kids, pets)
Erin and I have been married for nine years. We have two wonderful kids, Micah (7) and Annika (4). As a family we go to parks, read books, hangout with neighbors, and eat treats.

What is your favorite college memory?
My favorite college memory is living with a group of guys and all the adventures of learning to live on our own. During those years I learned a lot about myself and what it means to live in a way that is good and beneficial to others. One of the other practical things that I learned was that it is a really good to clean out the refrigerator regularly.

When not at Bethel, what can you be found doing? (Interests, hobbies, etc.)
I love urban farming (it connects me to the farm where I grow up). I am committed to the neighborhood that we live in, so you can often find me spending time with neighbors or working with a neighborhood organization. I also really enjoy reading and watching documentaries.