The First Congregational Church of Rochester is pleased to announce that the Reverend Robert Ripley has accepted the position as Senior Pastor beginning March 31. Rev. Ripley and his wife Peggy will be relocating to our area from Bangor, Maine. He was ordained on March 18, 1978 and has been active within the ministry for over 30 years.
Although Bangor, Maine has been his home for the past several years, Rev. Ripley became familiar with the South Shore area while serving as pulpit supply in Hanson, Whitman, Randolph and Braintree. His other ministerial duties have included Youth Pastor and Interim Minister. In addition to his ministerial duties, he has taught professionally in two Christian schools in Alabama.
Rev. Ripley attended what was then known as Glen Cove Bible College (now New England Bible College) and majored in Biblical Studies (including original languages) and minored in Missions. He graduated from Glen Cove in 1977 with a degree in Religious Education. After graduating from Glen Cove, he continued his religious education and attended Pensacola Christian College where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Liberal Arts in 1984.
Since the spring of 2010, Rev. Ripley, along with his wife Peggy, have spent the last three years ministering in his native area of Bangor, ME.
Rev. Ripley’s selection and acceptance comes after an 18-month process of interviews and prayerful consideration by the Rochester Congregational Pulpit Search Committee. Rev. Ripley will be following in a long tradition of Church pastors in Rochester going back to Reverend Samuel Arnold, who was the first Pastor of the Rochester Congregational Church in 1703.
For the past year and a half, the Rev. Glenn Stone has been the interim pastor and his dedication and service to our Church during this time is gratefully acknowledged by the congregation.
The First Congregational Church of Rochester is a Bible-based Christian Church. All are welcome to attend our worship service each Sunday morning beginning at 10:30 am.