About Reverend Jim Rehnberg

Personal History

I am the oldest child of a minister's family. Born in late 1952, birth to 6 months was spent in Minnesota. Nearly equal time was spent in West Orange, New Jersey; Oak Park, Illinois; and Thousand Oaks, California. I spent my teen years on the beach in Southern California.

College brought me back to Wheaton, Illinois, to prepare to follow in my father's career model. While at Wheaton College, I completed a four-year program in Biblical Studies and set a course for Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Courtship and marriage to Margy Braun occurred and three years of graduate school stretched into four as we were blessed with two children in our first three years of marriage.The degree of Masters of Divinity was awarded in 1978.

Three parish churches were served as Pastor with varying responsibilities between 1974 and 1980. In my sixth year of ministry we sought a change due to many factors. We could not live on $210 per week and the stresses of that filtered into so much of our lives.

Direction was sought. Good counsel both spiritually and professionally led me to business in sales, consulting and in the manufacturers' representative field. Good lessons were learned from great mentors, especially my father-in-law.

All of these work experiences led me into the field of mediation for businesses, organizations
and families.

The highest joy of all these work venues came unexpectedly in 1983 when a neighbor asked me if I was legal to officiate weddings. He was asking for himself as his divorce was causing problems in working out a church wedding. Careful research with attorneys and county and state agencies resulted in my affirmation to ministry being appropriate and legal. The journey has been filled with blessings and challenges. In 1994 business developments led me to doing weddings full time. Whereas in other endeavors I was promoting other people's products, now I am the product. That responsibility brings freedom and opportunity to meet couples right where they are and celebrate their relationship as together we shape their wedding ceremony.

My life is full and blessed. Each relationship has prepared me for the next. And now Margy and I are working on playing together. She has joined me in the pursuit of my love of rural America. I am the former proud owner of an early 1950's bright orange Allis Chalmers WD farm tractor and a John Deer wagon. I have since traded the tractor and wagon for a deck boat on the Fox River. We're having great fun sharing with friends.