First Christian Church

Rev. Ralph served as a Chaplain’s Assistant in the United States Air Force (1969-1973). He attended and graduated from Hiram College (1973-1976). Attended and received a Masters of Divinity degree from Christian Theological Seminary (1976-1980). He was ordained on May 18, 1980. He has served four congregations in his 30 years of ministry: First Christian Church of Ocala, Florida (1980-1982), Bailey Road Christian Church, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (1982-1994), Mentor Christian Church, Mentor, OH (1994-2006), and more recently sharing a new call to Interim Ministry. He has served Pilgrim Christian Church in Chardon, OH as their Intentional Interim Minister (December 2006 – January 2009) and North Eaton Christian Church (January 2009 – January 2011). Rev. Ralph is a member of the Disciples / UCC Interim Ministers Planning Group.

Rev. Ralph and his wife Terri have been married for 36 years, living in Mentor, Ohio for the past 17 years. Terri is a Home Health Care Supervisor, working part-time. They have 3 children. Emily, who is married to Dave Kalina, and have a daughter Haylie (4) and son, Jackson (1), living in Eastlake, OH. Amber, who graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, is living at home and pursuing career opportunities. Trevor is a Wildlife Education graduate from Ohio University, who also is at home for the time being, he works for Lake Metro Parks.

Rev. Ralph has a passion for ministry with a career long interest in Youth Ministries on both the local and regional levels. He has served as an Assistant Director at Hiram Conference (Camp Christian) for the past 24 years. He has a strong interest in music and multi-media as ways to help people worship and develop in their faith. He is a self-taught guitarist and has written many original songs of faith and life. He believes that computers and the Internet can and should be used as vital tools in a congregational ministry.

Rev. Ralph was a recipient of a Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Sabbatical Grant (2005). He has also been involved with a Clergy Peer Group Study Program, through the Akron Area Association of Churches, that enabled him and the group to spend two weeks in the Fall of 2006 traveling and experiencing the worship communities of Iona, Scotland and Taize’, France. This has been a part of his growth and understanding of Christian Spiritual Disciplines, which he sees as important to everyone’s spiritual growth, and hopes to share these things with others in their Faith Journey.

In September of 2008, Rev. Ralph was part of an Ohio Region supported Mission Trip to the New Orleans area, helping to rebuild homes destroyed by hurricane Katrina and Rita. In February of 2009, he and his wife Terri where once again advisors on the Ohio Regional United Nations Seminar to Washington D.C. and New York City. It was Terri’s 5^th time going and Rev. Ralph’s 11^th time. In February of 2011, Rev. Ralph made his 12^th adventure with 45 young adults from Disciples congregations around Ohio, exploring faith, politics, and world events.