Each month, we will feature an Acts 29 US Midwest member in our newsletter and blog. This month, we are featuring Pastor Thom Desmond at The Well in Antigo, WI. We asked Thom a few questions…

What’s special about Antigo, WI?
We are the home of Sartori Cheese, which won the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in 2017, defeating over 2000 other entries from all over the country. Could anything be more small-town Wisconsin than that?

Who’s in your immediate family?
My lovely and talented wife of ten years, Crystal and our two boys, Jonah (6) and Silas (4).

What’s the vibe like at The Well?
Relationally, we are very casual and family oriented. Most of the men have beards and wear flannel (for warmth, not fashion). We sing a mix of hymns and new songs and mostly importantly we preach Jesus!

What was the last thing you preached about?
We’re in a  series through the Gospel of Mark and I preached chapter 1:16-20 on the calling of the first disciples. The point of the sermon was that Jesus calls those we least expect and gives us a mission to make disciples.

What piece of technology brings you the most joy?
This is a tough one. I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I have tried to reduce/remove most of my social media but I am super thankful for my iPhone because I can ask it how to fix things, since I’m so inept doing that stuff.

What’s Your Favorite T-Shirt?
My “Pierce Family Farm” t-shirt. I wear it because it’s comfortable and I am able to support and advertise for my local meat farmers.

What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature?
I live on 15 acres of woods only a few miles from the Nicolet National Forest. I’ve seen a lot of white tail deer, black bears, and skunks but the coolest thing is probably the mink I encountered. I’m just thankful it wasn’t a badger because I would probably be maimed.

Could you survive in the wilderness for a month?
What would you need? I probably could as long as I had a lighter and it wasn’t winter, I wouldn’t survive in the winter.

What temperature is the thermostat set to at your home in February?
We keep it at 68.

What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life?
Snowshoeing in the woods after a fresh snow fall makes me really happy.

How can we pray for you?
You can pray for my family’s health. This winter has been tough on us. My son, Jonah, had to be hospitalized with pneumonia a while back and ever since then it seems like we’ve had some cold or flu going around that we can’t seem to shake.