Rhonda Ruder-profile

 

       My name is Rhonda Ruder.  I have been going to the Episcopal Church my whole life, except for different times when I did not live in the area. I am married and have four children - Christopher, Nick, Becca, and Angela.  They keep me extremely busy!  I am always running them somewhere and spend a lot of time at their various activities or sitting and waiting for them. 

       When my kids were little, I was a stay at home mom.  I tried working, but it was too hard finding reliable daycare, plus, I wanted to be the one taking care of my kids.  I did do a lot of babysitting for other moms who had to work. 

       We lived in California while my husband was in the army.  It was fun to live away, but we missed our family and Minnesota.  We moved back to MN and Rodney started an apprenticeship as a lineman.  We moved to St. Paul where he was working, but it was not where we wanted to raise our kids, so we moved back to Grand Rapids. Rodney traveled back and forth to his jobs.  Because of our growing family, we moved to a bigger house in Calumet. We did not like living there very much.  Rodney then finished his apprenticeship and took a permanent position at Public Utilities.  Happily, he could now stay home with us all the time. 

       We bought my parent’s house in Blackberry in 2000.  This is the house I grew up in and the place we have liked living the most. 

       I went back to work in 2001, as a sub for Head Start and then I took a full time position.  I work with 3 to 5 years old and love working with little kids.  I don’t know of any other job, where the

 

 

clients give you hugs and want to sit in your lap.  (I have found that teenagers are not quite as fun.) I really enjoy my job, it is very rewarding, but it can be wearing at times.

       I have visited different churches and sent my kids to different bible school programs, but the Episcopal Church is where we feel we belong.  When I walk into the church, I feel like I am home.  It is where my mom raised me and my brothers and sisters.  My Grandmother also attended Christ Church and years ago in an Episcopal Church in Red Lake, my great great-grandfather was a deacon.    

       When I was a young teenager, I felt I had a calling to ministry, but I didn’t know what to do about it and felt like life took me in a different direction.  Now I think life has led me to Total Ministry.   I am very happy to be a part of this team.  I can’t imagine doing this alone. I am very grateful to be doing this as a group and working with the people I am.