This is the first installment of what will become a regular feature in our This Week email. In a church our size, it isn't always easy to get to know the whole staff right away, so we've decided to bring our staff to you!

This week, we're getting to know Rev. Julie Van Til. Julie joined our pastoral staff in 2013 and is a San Francisco transplant from her beloved Midwest...

What books have had a lasting spiritual impact on you?

One of the most profound ones is this little book, The Isaiah Vision, by Raymond Fung. It's a wonderful book, and it gave me the first full vision I've had of shalom (in only 55 pages!).

A novel by CS Lewis, 'Til We Have Faces, was also formative for me. That book helped me to understand the self we keep hidden and the self God is at work revealing.

Another one is Between Noon and Three, by Robert Farrar Capon, who recently passed away. It uses the analogy of an extramarital affair to highlight the outrageousness of grace, which sounds strange but is really powerful.

When someone asks you where you are from, what is the first place that comes to mind?

Well, my first response is simply the Midwest. And that really is to honor the fact that I've lived outside of it now almost as long as I have lived in Indiana, where I was raised. But it all comes back to and is centered around the great Lake Michigan.

What are your favorite places to visit?

The answer is different depending on whether the visit is for a break or for an adventure. For a break, I would go to Negril, in Jamaica. Actually, any beach in Jamaica would do. I would sleep a lot, read a lot, and enjoy some time doing nothing for anyone else (and being really nice to everyone who is doing something for me!)

For an adventure, I would probably visit wherever my brother has gone to live next. He is a professional golf course builder, and has lived in South Africa, Spain, the Bahamas, and Ireland. He's in Australia now, so I'm sure wherever he is next will be great for adventuring.

Tell us a little bit about your family...

My husband Andrew and I enjoy saying of each other, "I'm married to a brewer!" or, "I'm married to a pastor!" When I met him, he was professionally brewing beer. It's a combination that often takes people off guard.

My daughter, Eva, is seven and in second grade. Everett, our son, is six and in first grade. They're pretty good friends with each other, although they can also be equally irritable. Right now, they're absolutely enthralled with Star Wars. And it's been neat, because it allows us to talk about lessons, like dilemmas between the forces of good and evil.

What books are on your nightstand now?

Just one right now--Where the Butterflies Are. My seven year-old daughter recommended it to me.

What drew you to City Church?

What didn't? That's why it's so hard to talk about what drew me--every step of the way everything we encountered made us more open and more drawn and more grateful that this could even be a possibility for our future.

It is the right season in my life to use my leadership and experience while being completely stimulated in a new environment--both in a larger church setting and a larger city.

What is your favorite restaurant in San Francisco (so far)?

There are two. Chapeau! is one of them. We went there to celebrate finally moving in, buying our home--owner was so hospitable and charming, but I also love this little Thai restaurant, Chai-Yo, near the City Church offices.

Name a couple of favorite movies...

I will always like The Princess Bride. Safety Not Guaranteed I was like, that was good. Sweet and meaningful. I loved The Constant Gardener. Those may not be my favorites of all time, but they are great movies.

What was the first concert you attended?

Probably Amy Grant. (laughs) I'm trying to remember if she played with Michael W. Smith...It was very cool for this young Christian girl.