By Trevor Sannes
I grew up Methodist and felt a deep connection to God from a young age. I vividly remember learning to pray in Sunday School at age six—how prayer was our way of communicating with God. It felt natural to me, and I began praying regularly. Growing up on a dairy farm, I often prayed for our animals and my many pets. At the same time, school was a challenge. I was soon identified as having a learning disability. I found myself praying daily, asking God for help with school and understanding my struggles.
It wasn’t until junior high that I began to grasp what my learning disability meant. I realized I didn’t learn the same way as my classmates, which led to being placed in special education classes for several subjects. That shift came with a label—“special ed”—and the stigma that often accompanies it. But my special education teachers helped me understand my learning challenges and introduced me to stories of others with similar experiences. That’s when I learned I had dyslexia. It was a turning point. I began to thrive academically, eventually making the honor roll and joining the math league team in high school.
Thanks to supportive teachers and parents, I was accepted to the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, where I pursued a degree in Food Science with a focus on dairy. During my undergraduate years, I studied abroad in Scotland in the spring of 1997. It was there, after much prayer and reflection, that I came to accept that I am gay. I returned to the U.S. ready to share this part of myself, even knowing it might cost me some relationships. Thankfully, my coming out experience was largely positive. While some responded with “Are you sure?”, I had wrestled with this truth for years. Still, coming out challenged my faith and my Methodist upbringing, eventually leading me to seek a new spiritual community when I moved to the Twin Cities.
After four years in the food industry, I returned to school for a master’s in management at Hamline University. I chose the program because of its focus on people—how to motivate, build dynamic teams, and drive results. These values resonated deeply with me. The program also gave me insight into business thinking and helped me advocate more effectively for projects and my professional development.
Today, I work full-time at Cargill as a Senior Technical Services Specialist, supporting salt solutions in the food service industry. I’m currently leading a project to launch a new salt offering in February 2026. At Cargill, I’ve joined two Business Resource Groups: iCAN (Cargill Ability Network) and CPN (Cargill Pride Network). Through iCAN, I had the opportunity to share my story publicly—you can read it here.
Living with a learning disability, being gay, and nurturing a strong faith have shaped my journey toward becoming a Deacon. My hope is to serve those on the margins—especially those who have been hurt by past faith experiences. I don’t yet know exactly where this path will lead, but I continue to pray and discern my calling.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside you during my two-year field education at St. John the Evangelist. I look forward to learning, growing, and serving together.
