Rachel Toombs, Ph.D.

Rachel serves the children and youth of Ascension. She is a native Minnesota, growing up on the Minneapolis side of the cities and now residing in St. Paul. She received her B.A. in Youth Ministry from Bethel University, Her M.A. in Theological Studies (Old Testament) from Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, and her theology Ph.D. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She has written two books, both focused in their own way on the power of stories: Flannery O'Connor & Stylistic Asceticism and Reading the First Five Books: The Invitation of the Pentateuch's Stories. Rachel is also a postulant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Texas.

Rachel is married to Lance and has two dogs, Eowyn and Rosie. In her free time she likes to bake, read fantasy, and watch the Twins reliably disappoint in playoff years.