The Pastor

Ed Treat was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 1959, an army brat and sixth of eight children. The family settled in Bellingham, Washington, where Ed grew up from the 4th grade. Following high school he lived in Hawaii, San Diego, and Phoenix before completing his Prodigal Son journey back to Bellingham. At age 27, Ed began his new life as a recovering alcoholic. This second life led him to a journalism degree at Western Washington University, to Holden Village in the Cascades where he discovered Lutheranism and his soulmate, then to Luther Seminary and an M.Div. Degree. He was married in 1990, ordained in 1995 and served his first parish at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minden, Nebraska. He established a new congregation as a mission developer in Anoka County, completed doctoral work at Luther Seminary, served as an associate pastor, and is currently Senior Pastor of Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Minnesota. His wife, Karen, is an ordained pastor as well; they have two grown daughters, both graduates at St. Olaf College, a son attending Luther College and another son in high school. Ed continues to support, serve and lead the Fellowship of Recovering Clergy.