El Pacto de México

Rev. Karl and Sue Peterson and son Zachary Thomas

Karl was born in Elgin, Illinois and raised in Covenant churches in Elgin, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New Britian, Connecticut and Mt. Prospect, Illinois. He graduated from North Park College in 1982 with a B.A. in Economics and Psychology. 

Sue was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her home church is First Covenant Church of St. Paul were she was baptized and confirmed. She graduated from North Park College in 1983 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and Spanish. After North Park, she served as a short-term missionary in Ecuador for one year, teaching English in a Covenant school and discipling youth. She returned to Minnesota where she taught Spanish in St. Paul Public Schools. 

In 1984 Karl moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. He worked in an electroplating factory and met Sue at First Covenant church in St. Paul. They were married in 1985 and began volunteering with the high school youth at church. In 1986, they were counselors for the youth mission trip to Ecuador. During the trip Karl and Sue saw the need for people to serve God in a foreign country and were willing to follow God's leading. 

In 1987 Karl and Sue served as Covenant short-term missionaries in Mexico for one year where their call to career missionary service was affirmed and confirmed. From 1988-1990 Sue taught Junior High Spanish while Karl attended North Park Seminary. During his second year he served as President of the Student Council. In 1990, Karl's internship brought them to Southern California where both he and Sue served full-time in an English-speaking Covenant church in Bell Gardens, California. The church asked them to serve an additional year on the pastoral staff and they accepted. Upon returning to Chicago, Sue obtained an academic scholarship to study full time and completed the Missions Orientation program and a year of studies toward a Seminary degree in Christian Education. Karl finished his seminary studies and received a M.Div. with a missions emphasis. In June of 1993, Karl and Sue were commissioned for career missionary service in Mexico at the Covenant Annual Meeting in Greely, Colorado. At this meeting Karl was also ordained for ministry in the Covenant church. 

In 1993 they lived in Costa Rica where Karl studied Spanish. During one trimester, Karl served as student chaplain, planning the weekly chapel services and coordinating the spiritual formation week. Susan brushed up on her Spanish for one trimester then took two Seminary courses by extension in Spanish. Sue was also part of the worship team at a local church in San Jose. 

In 1994, they arrived in Cuautla, Morelos for their first term as Covenant missionaries. For three years they were involved in the daily life of the Cuautla Covenant church and made frequent trips to the southern state of Oaxaca. 

In July 1997 the Petersons returned to the United States for itineration ministries in Covenant churches. They were excited to participated in a six-month pilot project as "Missionaries In Residence" for the Northwest Conference of Covenant Churches. During their time in Minnesota they became a family of three. Zachary Thomas was born January 14, 1998. An answer to many prayers. 

In November 1998 the Petersons returned to Mexico, living in the city of Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos. Sue's ministry focus was relational evangelism with mothers of toddlers, coordinating the short-term missionary program, discipleship with Jo Ellen a short-term missionary and working with the Covenant Women in the district. Karl's ministry focus was leadership development, pastoral encouragement, youth ministry and mission administration. He was also part of a historic beginning. In the fall of 2000, the Mexico Covenant Seminary began offering courses and Karl taught the first Seminary class offered in Morelos, The theology in the writings of John. Karl and Sue worked together to help the local Covenant churches establish a youth ministry in their churches and in developing youth leaders. 

The Petersons have recently arrived in Mexico after a period of home assignment.  They will be living and ministering in the south part of Mexico City. 

 Karl and Sue were able to adopt a brother for Zachary, Jonathan Tyler, born May 26th, 2001. 

E-mail: Peterson@pacto.org

For more information on Covenant Missions in Mexico www.pacto.org/covmex

Covenant Missions home page
The Evangelical Covenant Church - World Mission

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