Don was born in Seattle two months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but accepts no responsibility for that event. The oldest of five children, he spent his teenage years growing up on a farm in the foothills of the Cascade mountains near Sultan, Washington and worked his way through school in every conceivable kind of agriculture. He met his life's partner, Ruth, while attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Their first year of marriage was their last year of school. Upon graduation, they moved to Fort Benton, Montana to pastor a Lutheran Church. Gina, Matthew, and Nathan were born there. In 1975, they immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, and Lisa was born the next year. Don resigned from the Lutheran pastorate the end of 1986, and eventually joined the Vineyard in 1990. Don and Ruth took over the pastorate of Harvest Vineyard in 1995 from Mark and Brenda Wollenberg, and finally became Canadian citizens in 1996. The Rousus have served for several years on the regional leadership team for the Prairies and on the national team for Vineyard Churches Canada. Don also heads up the Theological Development Group for Vineyard Churches Canada.
The theme of Don's ministry has been "to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry." Having now reached the age when most people retire, Don is hoping to spend the latter years of his life doing less adminstration to focus on the mentoring of the next generation of leaders.
The Rousus' four children are all married and all belong to Harvest. Don and Ruth have ten wonderful grandchildren, which brings their immediate clan to a company of twenty. It is a common event for their clan to all have dinner together after Sunday church, or take a holiday together.
Don Rousu
