Hey, I'm Noah.
I combine my two passions:
creative problem-solving and people.
My view from lead guitar at a mid-week rehearsal.
Ministry
My last 20 years have been spent volunteering, working, and consulting for churches of 30 people to 3,000. During that time I’ve developed a passion for ministry work (with particular practice in the Sunday gathering experience and small groups) but even more than that I’ve developed a deep love for people. Every one of us has a unique story and in an integral part in God’s gospel reconciliation of the world, be it though scheduling volunteers, preparing meals, whatever.
I love equipping, encouraging, and challenging people. Helping someone see how they fit into not only the team but the bigger gospel story at work is the ultimate win, and along the way I love squeezing more potential out of people than they see in themselves. This everyday view of discipleship, the church, and mission is foundational to how I view ministry at both macro and micro levels.
I'm currently working on a Master's in Missional Leadership, a program that aims to reimagine how the church engages in God's Kingdom mission in our unique contexts. Missional leaders recognize that God is at work and seek to answer the questions 'What is God doing? and 'How is he calling us to take part in it?'. I also regularly lead worship at churches throughout mid-Michigan and Metro Detroit whenever I'm able.
How can I help with your ministry?
I'm currently offering two seminars (one with an optional workshop):
-Foundations of Live Mixing Seminar+Workshop
-Crafting a Modern Liturgy Seminar
I also offer one-on-one mentoring and coaching, broader ministry diagnosing, and vision casting. Below are some testimonials from folks I've worked with relationally and creatively, both in ministry and graphic design/marketing contexts (more on that below). What do you need? Gimme a call and we’ll work it out.
Design
I’ve spent a long time in the design world and have worked on everything from logos to LEGO people, copywriting to coins. And I’ve worked with clients just as diverse.
Design goes beyond what you see in front of you. It’s the process and intentionality behind it; the specific word choices, the voice when talking with an online audience, it’s what you hear when you walk into a building, what you smell. I like simple, minimal design and seeing something distilled down to its essentials and think that's often the most effective design.
Whether it’s photos, wall color, branding, music, every aspect of design aims to communicate a message. Define what you want to say. Find the best way to say it.
How can I help with your project?
I can help you say what you want to say. Plus I can Photoshop nose-pickers out of your favorite wedding photo. Check out the examples below to see what I'm talking about.
In addition to the above portfolio, all materials through this site (photos, designs, etc) were created by me (with the exception of one photo, which is noted).
Other stuff
A few other cool projects I've been part of.
The first box (of hundreds) of our card game, Something Different.
Float a Goat Games
One summer a group of friends and I thought it'd be cool to start a tabletop gaming company. So we did. What followed was a few years of developing games, running booths at gaming conventions, and meeting tons of cool people.
The highlight was our second Kickstarter campaign, a party card game 'Something Different'. By the end the project was over 1,000% funded and the highest-funded cardgame at the time. We printed 10,000 units of the game, developed an expansion on-the-fly during the campaign (and printed thousands of copies of that too), and delivered it all to more than 50 countries. It was an amazing time. Believe me, I have some thoughts on the process of shipping hundreds of packages across the world without a fulfillment company. Definitely feel free to ask.
My aunt and I singing 'To June this Morning' by Johnny Cash. Photo credit: Cody Hawkins
The Hadley Hills Homecoming
Each year my family and I present the Hadley Hills Homecoming; an event celebrating the music roots of folk, bluegrass, and Americana that built our country. From its start as an impromptu get-together in my dad’s living room the event has grown to two sold out shows; an evening many look forward to all year.
With the feel of an intimate and raucous party the HHH embodies what so many of us value and what so many of us crave: being with those we love, good food, faith, belonging, and coming home. My brother and I dreamed up and manage the event each year, and I also act as the Music Director.
Album art for Tomorrow, Tuesday
Tomorrow, Tuesday
I’d be remiss too if I didn’t mention my album: Tomorrow, Tuesday. I wrote, engineered, and played every piece of the album. I’m very proud of it, warts and all. I think of my songs to an impressionist painting; specific details are fuzzy but if you take a step back and look at it as a whole, you’ll understand the picture. I naturally tend to write songs that convey a tone, message, or feeling. You can listen to the album here.
How can I help you solve a problem?
You may not be creating a boardgame, recording an album, or putting on a live show. But you may need someone who has and knows how to mass print something, make emotion an auditory experience, or mobilize 20 artsy people toward same goal. Let’s see how it all fits together to build something bigger.