Our Pastor

When he is not serving as our pastor, John can be found serving others as a hospice chaplain. Serving in a very unique bi-vocational and ministerial role, Pastor John came to us in October 2020 to help fill the pulpit.  John is an ordained minister through the National Association of Christian Ministers Fellowship, but he was also commissioned by the Presbytery of the Alleghenies to serve as our pastor in May 2021.  While recently retired after a 38-year career in Emergency Medical Services as a paramedic, and prior to coming to Slickville Presbyterian Church, John spent time serving as a Ruling Elder at Ardara Evangelical Presbyterian Church and as a Recovery Minister at Calvary Church in Irwin.  While completing his theological training at Carolina College of Biblical Studies in Fayetteville, NC, Pastor John served as an intern and unofficial assistant pastor at West Newton United Presbyterian Church, in West Newton, PA.  Pastor John has been very happily married to his high school sweetheart Valerie for 33 years, and together they are the parents of two grown children, Kaitlyn and Alexander.  In his spare time, John enjoys music and has quite a music collection, playing the drums, physical fitness, kayaking, biking, and reading.  If you bike or hike the Great Allegheny Passage or Westmoreland Heritage Trail, you might just run into him on his bike. John is also very passionate about helping others and our Lord and His gospel, and he is especially passionate about preaching and teaching God's Word and watching the faith of others grow.