Sandra Norris

God is the author of creativity, and we are made in his image. Creativity is not only seen in painting, writing poetry, dancing, or making music; creativity comes in the unique combination of gifts each individual is given. For Sandra (Anderson) Norris, a distinct combination of a mind for business and heart for service has equipped her to serve as a Covenant pastor.

Sandy started life attending Lake Chippewa Mission Covenant Church near Garfield, Minnesota, with her parents, sisters, and grandparents. She has early memories of attending Sunday School, “Sheryl [her sister] and I on either side, leaning on Mayme Hermanson’s soft arms while she read the lesson to us.”  Ladies’ Aid was also a regular event, with a tradition of each attendee reciting a favorite Bible verse. Sandy’s childhood experience set for her a lifelong commitment to memorize Scripture. 

Lake Chippewa was a small church with few young families, so the Anderson family transferred their membership to the Evangelical Covenant Church in Alexandria, Minnesota, when Sandra was eight years old. In 1977 Sandy was confirmed, and in September 1979 she received the sacrament of baptism, publicly acknowledging the mystery of God at work in her life.

Following high school, Sandy earned an Accounting Certificate (1983) from what is now Alexandria Technical and Community College. Her first experience on church staff was as part-time church secretary at Alexandria Covenant Church alongside Rev. Norman Bagaas. Later, while working in the accounting field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she pursued a bachelor’s degree part-time and participated in a Covenant Church plant in Eden Prairie.

In 1991 Sandy relocated to Denver, Colorado. There she attended college part-time, while continuing in full-time work, graduating from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. It was at First Covenant Church in Denver she met Rev. Linnea Carnes, and as their friendship grew, Rev. Carnes helped Sandy discern a call to ministry.

Another relocation followed in January 1993, when Sandy enrolled at North Park Theological Seminary. Initially enrolled in the Master of Divinity program, she transferred to the dual-degree Master of Arts in Theological Studies and Master in Business Administration in the spring of 1993. She was the first graduate from North Park in this new dual degree program, completing the two degrees in 1995. Of her time at North Park Sandy says, “The community experience of living in seminary housing and building relationships with other students and faculty as we processed life, what it means to be called to ministry, and working our way through curriculum was deeply impactful.” During her years of study at North Park, Sandy attended Grace Covenant Church in Chicago.

Upon graduation, Sandy’s first call was as assistant to Steve Dawson, Director of Technical Services in the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism at the Covenant Offices in Chicago. In June 1996, Sandy was called as Associate Superintendent of the East Coast Conference, working alongside Superintendent Rev. George Elia and later Rev. Robert Dvorak. With “Business Manager” included in her job description, this was an excellent fit for Sandy’s business acumen and passion for church growth.

However, not holding an MDiv degree presented a limitation to Sandy’s ministry, since at that time the Covenant offered only one ordination to Word and Sacrament, open to MDiv graduates. Rev. Donald Njaa advocated with the Board of Ministry that Sandy be ordained by exception. He recognized the value of business leadership as an important role in the church and the fulfillment of a holy call. He also recognized the need for the denomination to support graduates of its school: the dual degree program would fail if the church did not provide meaningful service opportunities for its graduates. The result: the Evangelical Covenant Church ordained Sandy in June 1998. 

Working in and for the East Coast Conference, Sandy was very aware that she was missing congregational staff experience. She recalls, “I told one superintendent I would consider a move if the right position opened up.” Sandy’s comment to Northwest Conference Superintendent Rev. Paul Erickson yielded a new opportunity. After serving the East Coast Conference for three years, Sandy accepted the position of Pastor of Administration at Roseville Covenant Church in suburban St. Paul in 1999. Administrative or Executive pastor positions were a new concept, and it wasn’t all easy serving in this role as a woman. Sandy recalls a couple occasions in particular: “At least one couple left the church when I was called, in opposition to women clergy. One week when I was preaching, I went to the worship planning meeting and someone asked, ‘Where are all the pastors?’”

Sandy served on staff at Roseville Covenant for over seven years, experiencing significant life changes during that time. In May 2002, she adopted one-year-old Mayme Xiaowen; in April 2005 she married Jeffrey Norris. Sandy remembers, “When Mayme was in first grade, we realized the evening meetings and stressful Sundays weren’t great for family life, so we decided I would step away from ministry for a time and provide bookkeeping services to small businesses in the area, intending to continue to evaluate family dynamics and go back to church work at some point. My first client was the Northwest Conference with the assignment to help church plants establish strong and healthy financial practices.” And so her business, Counting House, was born.

In 2011 Sandy had significant conversations at the Covenant Midwinter Conference, including one with spiritual director Rev. Renee Franzen that solidified the primary call of Counting House to serve churches. From 2007 to 2025, Counting House served 160 churches and ministries, 154 of which were member congregations of the Covenant denomination. Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis was an early client, and what started as contracted accounting services became a part-time Pastor of Operations position for a season. Sanctuary’s multiethnic congregation broadened Sandy’s understanding and appreciation of ethnic diversity; what a gift it is!

Sandy sold Counting House in June 2025. She continues to work as Director of Finance for the Northwest Conference and provide accounting for three Covenant camps and the Serve Globally mission priority. Her unique, God-given blend of business expertise and heart to serve has benefitted hundreds of congregations and individuals. To God be the glory!