Washington native and Vashon newcomer Luke Tedder has taken over the role of pastor at Bethel Church and says he is excited to begin reaching out and welcoming the close-knit island community.

The husband, and father of two young children, soon to be three when his son arrives, moved his young family to Vashon from Northern California in December upon being hired as pastor. He began serving the church last month and said he and his family have fallen in love with the island and the community.

“The culture of Vashon is great. We fell in love with it and moved here,” Tedder said last week. “We really love the close-knit community and love recognizing people in town. Even if it’s the cashier at the grocery store, it’s nice to have those friendly faces. People here have a genuine love for their neighbors, and I’m excited to meet and partner with different ministries and community groups to spread love in a world full of so much sadness and despair and fear.”

Tedder received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C. and his Master of Divinity from Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon. He is originally from southern Washington, and his wife grew up in Snohomish, but before moving to the island, he and his family lived in Placerville, California, a town east of Sacramento with a population similar to that of Vashon.

Tedder has been a pastor for seven years and said he was drawn to Bethel Church because he wanted to serve a smaller church.

“We have a lot of family up here, but we really felt a move toward pastoring a smaller church would be right for us,” Tedder said. “Being a religion-based family, we prayed about it, and we just fell in love with (Vashon).”

He said that the hospitality of the community is something he has been able to witness at the dinners the church occasionally hosts with the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness. He said that he wants islanders to know that if they ever feel alone or hopeless, the church is there to welcome them.

“We really want to be a welcoming church,” Tedder said of the church that aligns with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) denomination. “Even if you don’t believe what we believe, we welcome (you) to just come try it out and listen and feel welcome.”

As part of EFCA, Bethel Church is one of the island’s more conservative congregations. The church believes the Bible is “without error in the original writings,” and is the “authoritative word for our understanding of God and how we live our lives,” according to the church’s website.

Church elder Jin Kim said the church has been without a pastor for more than a year and a half since former Senior Pastor Bob Gentzel left. Gentzel had led the church for roughly a decade.

“I’m really looking forward to working with him,” Kim said about Tedder. “He brings a real energy and passion for getting involved in the community.”

Kim continued to say that he thinks Tedder’s young family will help the church be more welcoming to families and young children, and he also likes that Tedder and his wife have roots in the Northwest.

Kimi Healey, who has been attending services at Bethel Church for seven years, seconded Kim’s comments about Tedder’s energy and youth.

“I just love the energy of having a young pastor,” Healey said. “I think it’s great his whole family’s here, and I meet up with his wife, and she’s great. She’s really excited to get involved in the community. There’s just a really positive energy.”