“I believe God is calling me to a congregation that opens

its doors to all, encourages

critical exploration of one’s faith,

emphasizes the importance of

preaching and worship, works

to serve its neighbors, and most

importantly, shows the expansive

grace of God…Christ has called us to be hospitable to

all people in all their suffering and

healing.” ~ Robert Galloway

First Presbyterian ChurCh

The APNC Nominates THE REVEREND ROBERT LORD GALLOWAY

as Associate Pastor for Christian Formation and Young Adults

200 West trade street | Charlotte, nC | 28202

A Message from Robert GallowayI view the church as a home for the broken. Christ has called us to be hospitable to all people in all their suffering and healing. Holding true to the Gospel and the Great Ends of the church we are a body of Christ that lives out God’s commands to us.

Christ did not have a stationary mission, but traveled to where the people were gathered. A church with open doors allows people to come in to the welcoming home we have created. It also allows us to go out and share the Good News. It allows us to see beyond ourselves and see God’s creation before us. We can then look our neighbors in the eye and serve them as brothers and sisters, not as strangers.

We must learn at the feet of Jesus. Education and study are key components in a healthy and sustainable faith. We know that we will not have all the answers that arise from our spiritual journey and life on earth, but we can walk with one another as we deepen our relationship with God and our understanding of the Gospel.

God’s grace and love abound in us and around us. I am called to a congregation that leads with the grace God gives us. With this on our hearts and minds, we can best serve ourselves, our neighbors, and God.

~ Robert Galloway

The search for First Presbyterian Church’s next Associate Pastor took just under a year. Robert Galloway’s understanding of God’s call to him took a while longer, beginning when he was a student at Davidson College.

The decade since Robert’s graduation from Davidson with a Bachelor of Arts in History has not been a direct path to First Presbyterian Church. Studying the history of Presbyterianism in college led to a deeper search to understand his call from God. He even wondered, at times, if he was called to the ministry.

Robert moved to Washington, DC, following his graduation. He worked on Capitol Hill and in health-care consulting. Continues....

Pen Peery

“The church has always been a home to Robert. As the son of two

Presbyterian pastors, Robert has

a deep love and familiarity with

the gift of Christian community.

Because of that, he has a desire

to help more of God’s children

find their home in the church.

I believe Robert has incredible

gifts for leading people to grow

in their faith, their knowledge of

God, and their connection to one

another as members of Christ’s

body.”

Associate Pastor Nominating Committee

“Robert’s infectious personality invites genuine conversation with whomever he

encounters—he is both intentional and

inviting. His ability to listen, to learn,

and to teach will greatly benefit our

community at large as we continue to seek

Christ in the Heart of Charlotte.”

“Robert has a strong theological grounding

and passion that will enhance our

Christian Formation offerings, and a

welcoming personality that will resonate.

He is at once earnest about his duties

and relatable. Robert will be an excellent

pastor for our congregation.”

Christopher Edmonston, White Memorial Presbyterian Church

“Robert has an amazing and profound love for the gospel of Christ and for the people of Christ’s church. His abilities for leading worship and group

formation will benefit the First Presbyterian Church family in many multiples

of ways. I doubt Robert has ever met a stranger and the spiritual craft of hospitality is among his strongest and most natural gifts for ministry. It was a joy

to watch his ministry flourish in Raleigh, and while we will miss Robert, we

are thrilled he is continuing his ministry in North Carolina. Along with both

being Davidson alumni, Robert and I were each ordained to ministry at First

Presbyterian Church. The prospect of his joining your ministry gives me

great, great joy.”

Clear at this point that politics was not his call, Robert moved to Charlotte to work as the Development Manager for the Carolinas Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. He joined his mother’s family’s church—First Presbyterian Church. While here, he was active in the Young Adult Ministry. Also, he served on the Willard Lecture Series committee and a committee to explore new forms of worship. These experiences and the support of the First Presbyterian congregation and staff helped Robert understand his true call was the ministry.

His next move was to New Jersey, where he began work on his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.

During seminary, Robert served as a ministry intern at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, a 750-member congregation. He also served 1300-member University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill as a summer ministry intern. He worked as Chapel Sexton, the Lead Student Employee in the Office of Alumni, and Admissions Representative at Princeton Theological Seminary. In 2016, he served as a Theological Student Advisory Delegate to the Social Justice Committee at the 222nd General Assembly in Portland, Oregon, where he spoke about a proposed apology to LGBTQ individuals who may have been hurt or harmed by the denominationin the past.

When he completed his Master in Divinity in 2017, Robert served for two years as a Pastoral Resident at White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, a congregation of 4,300 members who reflect a wide spectrum of beliefs and values.

During his time at White Memorial, Robert was responsible for Young Adult Ministry. His role expanded to include Congregational Care, the Steven Ministry program, and Senior Adult programming.

“Although this change required flexibility and adaptability, it has presented the opportunity to focus on a form of ministry I have grown to embrace,” Robert said.

Robert is available to begin his journey with First Presbyterian Church on August 1.

Thoughts from ...... continued

Robert’s Statement of FaithI believe in the creator God almighty, God’s son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I trust in the Trinity, the perfect community on which we can model our own community. God created the universe and loved us before the beginning of time. God is the loving sustainer. With God all things are possible and our joy and highest task is to praise him throughout all our life.

God’s greatest revelation to us was Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is coequal and coeternal to God. Jesus was born to human flesh, fully human and fully divine. It is through Jesus Christ that we are saved. We are saved by grace through faith. Our response is to follow Jesus and respond to his call. This is not equal to this gift, but in an effort of gratitude.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, who continues to call us to God. The Holy Spirit

is ever present to us and reveals the Word to us through the Holy Scriptures. The Spirit equips the church to work and serve in this world by the proclamation of the Word, the administration of the sacraments, and our individual and communal discipleship. The Holy Spirit is truly seen by the manifestation of the fruits of the spirit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). When we see these in the world we know that the Holy Spirit is among us.

I believe in God’s providence, that God has ordered all things for God’s own glory. God’s providence allows us to celebrate the love and justice of God, while sharing in the suffering and tragedy of the world. In the end, God’s providence provides hope and is a witness to God’s presence in everything.

I believe in the brokenness of the world and the brokenness of humanity. We are sinful creatures. Yet, in Jesus Christ we can be made whole and healed. The Church is not a home for the perfected, but it more often resembles a hospital for sinners and the fractured. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we will not be judged by our sin, but by the grace of Jesus Christ and shall live eternally with God.

I believe in the church visible and invisible, in the church we see and the church that is those who God calls beyond our walls. We are called to help our neighbor, no matter how far away that neighbor is. We are charged with the care of the world so that Christ’s light shines through it. We are all children of God and God is still revealing God’s self to us each day. We strive Christ in our hearts and respond to his commands to “follow me.”