Pastor Gary Willingham-McLain
Pastor Gary's childhood was divided between southern Alabama and Burundi, Africa, where he was a 'missionary kid.' For high school he attended Rift Valley Academy near Nairobi, Kenya. Returning to the United States, he met his future wife, Laurel, at Asbury College in Kentucky. They pursued graduate degrees--she in linguistics, he in literature--and at one point that journey together gave them the joy of living in and discovering France for two years. They both lived and worked in universities in Pittsburgh for several years (yes, Gary is a Steelers fan!). It was during this time that the Lord called Gary to seminary, and then to pastor a small, multicultural church in urban Pittsburgh. He came to serve our church in 2019. Gary loves the joy of immersing himself in God's Word, being an ally for someone who is struggling, having one-on-one conversations, watching football, tennis, and soccer--and playing ping pong. He and Laurel have two amazing sons and two beautiful grandchildren.