Pastor Hayley Paulson-Moe

Associate Pastor

What do you do at Advent?

I spend time learning from our community and watching for how God shows up! I help plan and lead worship, help with Sunday School, and plan events for the 20s/30s group. I love meeting with people to go for walks or to talk. I would love to get to know you!

Why do you do what you do?

Growing up, I didn’t see how church mattered since the stories were so old, and when I realized my ‘call’ to ministry-I was disappointed because I thought that meant I had to change my personality and would have to fit a mold of what being a church leader was “supposed” to be. 

I do what I do because once I realized that these stories DO matter and are for me, for you, and for all of us-everything changed! When I was shown that these stories not only matter, but are continuing to make us new and show us how God loves us-I wanted to stick around! On this journey-I realized that God didn’t call me to fit a certain mold or change my personality! God calls us exactly as we are and continues to make us new every day. I do what I do because God’s love is transformative and when we act out of that love, we move towards a more loving and just world.

Why Advent?

I didn’t know that I was wandering until I felt so radically welcomed and loved at Advent. The people at Advent opened their hearts to me and helped guide and teach me as I worked my way through seminary and worked my way through figuring out where I fit and how God was in the mix.

Talk to me about . . .

How the Samaritan woman at the well is one of the most powerful stories in the Gospels! I also love talking about God and big questions, grief, joy, and how disco balls are great theological images! Also, dogs, national parks, hiking, canoeing, storytelling, running, Chipotle, Diet Coke, and sparkly things. I LOVE camp ministry, my friends & family, hospital chaplaincy, crowd-sourcing my friends with sermon illustrations, and wedding dances.

When I'm not at Advent, you'll most likely find me . . .

Trying to learn how to make art! Many people in the 20s/30s group are teaching me how to lean into the arts I’ve wanted to do for a long time but have never actually started! So I am out here in a new era of my life trying to paint, learning to draw, cross stitch, figuring out the difference between crocheting and knitting, etc! I also love running, reading, spending time with people I love, and watching movies! My favorite person in the world is my partner, Nick, so you’ll also find me telling

Originally from North Dakota, Hayley has loved moving around the country for her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She attended Roanoke College in Virginia and received her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.

Fun Fact! Even though they both are from the Dakotas - she and her spouse Nick met at seminary in New Jersey and he is also on his way to becoming a pastor in the Lutheran Church!

This is Pastor Hayley’s first call - which means it’s the first church she’s ever been a pastor at, but she has served in other church roles such as a chaplain, field education student, discerning intern, and college student intern.

Pastor Hayley believes in the transformative nature of Jesus’ love, words and actions, and loves to talk about it. She is a big believer in God’s love for all creation and enjoys learning people’s stories. Hayley is convinced that the song Dancing Queen is the anthem to her life, and she doesn’t believe in small talk.