Meet The Pastor
Pastor Griffin Ryan
Hi First Presbyterian Church Family and Friends!
All I really need to say right now is, I’m so excited! I’m so happy. I am thrilled and honored to be right here where I am right now.
I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky.
I have always loved the Presbyterian Church—I read scripture and said prayers as a young child at my home church, Second Presbyterian in Lexington, where I have been a member since I was old enough to become one. I loved youth group, I loved mission. I loved serving as a Deacon. Every summer, I worked as a counselor and a director at the wonderful camp of Burnamwood that had made my faith so important to me.
Although I fought it because I didn’t want to be just like my parents, I attended and graduated from Centre College. Next on my list was law school, but I learned to accept God’s call and attended and graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2014.
I had wonderful opportunities to work as a chaplain for Hospice of the Bluegrass, and with the VA. I directed youth and mission camps at Maxwell Street Presbyterian, and took a year off from seminary to serve at Maxwell and learned even more about why I was supposed to be in a church. Preaching, teaching, and mostly helping—God wanted me to be a minister.
I was ordained as a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in September of 2016.
I am blessed to be married to my wonderful husband, Reverend Sean Ryan, ordained in the United Methodist Church, and serving right here in London as Senior Pastor of the First United Methodist Church. Together, we love to cook, travel and watch UK athletics!
I’ve been a part of great places… Trinity Presbyterian in Louisville, Maxwell Street Presbyterian in Lexington, the St. Paul United Methodist Church in Louisville, and the First Christian Church in Danville. But nothing has felt quite so “right” as the First Presbyterian Church.
I am so blessed to offer support and care to the members of the church, and the community as well. I am so blessed to get to be involved in classes, committees, leadership, to help with pastoral care, administration, worship. I am so blessed to be in a church. This church.
I look forward to spending more time with you, to answer any questions that you may have for me, and to take your advice as I work hard to serve God, this church, and all of you. Thank you all so much!!
Peace,
Pastor Griffin Ryan