Pastor Trav

Travis Else is a native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he graduated from high school and college (B.A., English, University of Northern Iowa).

In graduate school (M.S., Education, Drake University), Travis married Juliana Van Engelenhoven of Orange City, Iowa. Julie was at the time Worship Director at Westview Church, a new RCA church plant in West Des Moines.

Travis, newly graduated, was soon working in the non-profit sector.

In 2000, God blessed the Else's with Ian (shown above), and the young family moved to Rock Valley, Iowa, where Travis joined the ministry of Hope Haven, a Christian non-profit serving persons with disabilities in the Midwest. After many years and the birth of their second child, Sophia, Travis responded to God's call to service in His church by enrolling in seminary. They sold their house, packed up the van, and moved to Holland, Michigan. Travis received his Master of Divinity from Western Theologial Seminary in May 2007. In Michigan, their third child, Anna, was born.

Travis and his family are excited to lead and serve at The Connection in Harrisburg, SD. Travis has a passion for God's glory, proclaiming the Good News of salvation in Christ, stewardship of God's creation, and family. When not engaged in church stuff, Travis enjoys bicycling, running, traveling, college football, cooking, and Southern literature.

Reading: Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," Foote's "Shiloh," Chesterton's "Orthodoxy," and Stanley's "The Next Generation Leader"

Listening to: Camera Obscura, Sunny Day Real Estate, Josh Rouse, Wilco, Air, Pete Yorn

Watching: Pretty much anything on the Food Network

Movies: Ordet, Heaven, The Passion of Jean d'Arc, Trois Couleurs: Rouge

Riding: Kestrel SC200 (Dura-Ace/Ultegra), Trek 970 (Shimano XT)