Ryan Ahlgrim believes in the church. For all its mistakes and foibles and disappointments, the church is what provides us with a community of love, support, mutual discernment, and faith. Being a Christian is not something we do alone; it is what we do together. The goal is to be a Spirit-inspired community that enacts wholeness and reconciliation with each other, the world, and God. For Ryan, no calling could be more meaningful or important than being a pastor.

Ryan became the pastor of First Mennonite Church of Richmond on August 1, 2014.

He began his ministry straight out of college as a youth minister in his home congregation, Lombard Mennonite Church, near Chicago. While attending seminary in Elkhart, Indiana, he worked for two years as an assistant minister at Dunlap United Methodist Church. After graduating, he helped plant Peoria-North Mennonite Church in Illinois. Eleven years later, he became lead pastor of First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis, where he served for nineteen years before moving to Richmond, Virginia.

Ryan holds a B.A. degree in English from Goshen College, an M.Div. degree from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (including a semester at Princeton Theological Seminary), and a D.Min. degree from McCormick Theological Seminary through the Chicago Association of Theological Schools D.Min. in Preaching Program.

While pastoring in Indianapolis, Ryan taught communication courses at Ivy Tech Community College. A frequent contributor to church periodicals, he has authored two books: Not as the Scribes: Jesus as a Model for Prophetic Preaching (Herald Press, 2002), and Sick Religion or Healthy Faith? Beliefs and Practices for Healing Christian Communities (Wipf & Stock, 2016). He maintains a website of essays, stories, articles, videos, dramas and more at www.ryanahlgrim.com.

Ryan is married to Laurie (Silver) Ahlgrim, a school nurse. They have two grown children: Garrett and Savannah.