Pastor Andy Nelson is the Director of Campus Ministry and Campus Chaplin at Morningside University since 2018.

Andy grew up in a small Minnesota town called Redwing Minnesota. Pastor Andy is married to Morningside Psychology Professor Jessica Pleuss. They share 4 children together.

Andy is a Graduate of Luther College in Deborah Iowa where he studied Religious Studies and Political Science. He obtained his Masters of Art and then his Master of Divinity at Luther Seminary.

After Seminary School Andy interned at St. Olaf College in Minnesota and then Started his “First Call” working at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester Minnesota and then eventually working at the University of South Dakota before starting at Morningside.

When asked about his job Andy had this to say “Tend to the spiritual life of the Morningside Campus.” and he also had this to say about his work “I am here to connect (faith) to that part of you.” Andy is located in the Basement of the Olsen Student Center where he institutes and open door policy when he’s around.

Andy was asked about his free time and he attributes a lot of his time to “Children and Family Activities.” Andy also prefers to sped much if his free time Reading fiction, listening to audiobooks, gardening, hunting, and fishing.

When asked about his Favorite Author he attributed this to German Theologist Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a member of the Nazi Resistance Movement who was executed by the Germans and also fiction author Lois McMaster Bujold.

Pastor Andy was very open about his school experience and needing to take time off but powering through school. “Take that time to step away and disengage from that experience” is what Andy said when asked about needing to think about taking the right path in life. Ultimately Andy did not take time off and went onto earning his Masters of Arts and Divinity.

Lastly Andy was asked about Morningside and hat he’d like to see. Andy would like to see his already instituted “Midweek Mindfulness” grow. Midweek Mindfulness is where students can share faith stories, spend time together, and listen too little performances as an “idea of a time when the community comes together.”

Pastor Andy is the ultimate Family guy holding his family and faith very close to his heart. Andy served his country as an Air National Guardsman Chaplain in the Iowa Air National Guard. We thank Andy for his commitment too Morningside to help us grow in our faith and the service to his country.