One thing the Rev. Jay Dahlvang does not want to see happen is having someone from his church come to him in time of crisis, only to find he doesn’t know their name.

As pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Albert Lea since May, Dahlvang is getting to know his congregation.

&uot;The best part about parish ministry is being invited into people’s lives,&uot; Dahlvang said.

A native of Montevideo, Dahlvang attended St. Cloud State University, then served as youth director in his home church for four years.

From there, he went to Luther Seminary in St. Paul. It was there he met his wife, Tammy. The couple both did internships north of Seattle, Wash., before they were called to serve churches in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 1997.

While in Michigan, the couple’s two sons, James, now 4, and Nathanael, 2, were born.

When the Dahlvangs thought about moving, &uot;We prayed, and things began to happen,&uot; he said. &uot;At some point, we began to think it was more than coincidence.&uot;

The Albert Lea area was appealing because of the size of the community. And moving back to Minnesota brought them closer to family. What’s more, there was an opportunity to Tammy Dahlvang to serve as well. She is the pastor of Lunder and Round Prairie Lutheran Churches.

For Dahlvang, the size of Salem’s congregation is nice. &uot;We always want to grow, but with this size of congregation, we can be a community. We can know each other,&uot; he said.

Salem also has a good staff, and has made a commitment to youth ministry with its new youth director, Heather Schreiber.

Dahlvang said his main goal while pastor at Salem is to learn the congregation and the community. &uot;And to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ &045; to be a faithful proclaimer and seeing it work in people’s lives,&uot; he added.