Pastor Andy Nelson is the campus Chaplin here at Morningside University.

Nelson is from Redwing, Minnesota and faith was always a part of his life as a child. He was very involved in his church, were many of the adults encouraged him to become a pastor when he is older. 

He went to Luther College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa. Here he was also very involved in campus minister and started realizing he might become a pastor when he was older.

“Junior year I decided that I wanted to be a pastor, then the next year I thought I could never be a pastor, back to wanting to be a pastor the following year.”, Nelson said. The flipping of his decision did not stop there, where he chose to leave the seminary.

Nelson says if he could change one thing with what he knows know, he says that he would have taken a gap year after college, and before the seminary. “I think part of the reason I left the seminary, was because I was kind of burnt out.”, Nelson says.

After Nelson finished the seminary his first line of work was in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was the pastor for a few years. After a job opening in Sioux City, after Morningside university, he became the Morningside campus Chaplin. 

Nelson describes his job as, “Tend to the spiritual life of the Morningside community.” He hosts worships, advises students groups, and helps students get connected with worshipping communities. Nelson has an open-door policy for his office, and confidentiality policy, so kids feel they could trust him. 

Other than being the Chaplin, Nelson’s hobbies include theater and drama, gardening, and most importantly taking care of his 4 children. He also enjoys reading and says that his favorite author is Deidrick Bonhoeffer; a Lutheran monk that was part of the resistance movement against the Nazis.

Faith is the forefront of Nelsons life. He describes faith as, “It shapes how I view the world.” He says it he shapes all his relationships and views death and life beyond death because of his faith. 

Nelson also wants to see a little bit of growth with in the community here at Morningside. Events like recitals and student faith stories, he believes is something where the community can grow itself.