Spiritual Leader

Sat., July 29, 2000

The Rev. Eric Ranum, senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, 812 N. Fifth, Coeur d’Alene.

Background: Ranum, 42, has served at Trinity Lutheran for two years. Prior to his arrival, he spent more than eight years in Ferndale, Wash., and also spent time in Alaska and Moscow, Idaho.

He grew up in Newport, Wash., where his father served as a pastor.

He studied psychology and religion at Luther College in Iowa and received his master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary in Minnesota in 1986. He took two years off between college and seminary, obtained his captain’s license, and sailed the ocean along the West Coast, spending a lot of time in the Inside Passage.

He is a member of the Rotary Club and has served as the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department’s volunteer chaplain for the past year.

Personal: Ranum and his wife, MaryBeth, have been married nine years and have two sons; Caleb, 5, and Joshua, 2. MaryBeth is an executive manager with MCI Worldcom.

Quote: “Being an old seafarer, I am fascinated by the biblical images of water. The Flood and the storms at sea are powerful images for people experiencing difficult times in their lives. The life-giving water of baptism is central to my theology.”

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.