John Cannon/The Independent
Ashland — The youth movement at Ashland’s First Presbyterian Church is beginning at the top.
After a search of more than two years, the church has called 28-year-old Garrett Bugg as its senior pastor, replacing the Rev. Richard Smith, who resigned at the start of 2008 to accept a post in central Kentucky.
Bugg, who moved to Ashland a week ago and preached his first sermon as senior pastor on Sunday, comes to Ashland from Hampton, Va., where he spent more than two years as associate pastor of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Despite serving in a Lutheran Church, Bugg is an ordained Presbyterian minister and a graduate of the Princeton University Theological Seminary.
The new pastor, who is single, was born in Silva, N.C., and grew up in Charlotte. He did his undergraduate studies at North Carolina State University.
“I still root for the Wolfpack. I hope that doesn’t bother people here too much,” said Bugg, who was given a University of Kentucky sweatshirt on his first Sunday at First Presbyterian.
Bugg is assuming leadership of an older congregation that — like many main line denominations — has been experiencing shrinking membership and attendance in recent years.
The key to reversing that is to find a way to attract new younger members without alienating the older members, Bugg said.
“Older members are vitally important to this and all churches,” he said. “They are the ones who built this church and helped make it what it is today. They are the ones who have remained committed to this church and its mission.”
First Presbyterian, in the heart of downtown Ashland at the corner of Winchester Avenue and 16th Street, is the oldest church in Ashland, having been established by the Poage family, the community’s first white settlers. Its building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“This church has been an important part of this community since the beginning, and we want to see that it continues to play a vital role in the spiritual life of this community,” Bugg said.
Whether they are old or young, whether they are a new member or someone whose family has been in this church for generations, Bugg said it is critical that each member “feels like they belong here and are wanted here. I don’t want anyone to think that they are not an important part of our congregation.”
As a theologian, Bugg said he sees himself as “fairly traditional and orthodox” and probably more moderate than many other Presbyterian ministers.
Nevertheless, the new pastor said he believes “God’s table is large enough for many different types of people.
“As long as they accept Jesus Christ, they are welcome here,” Bugg said. “We may disagree on some issues, but we are all following the same God to the best of our ability. I believe there is room for diversity in the church.”
Under Bugg’s leadership, First Presbyterian probably is not going to wander far from its traditional style of worship, but he does not think that is an obstacle to attracting more young people.
“People come to a church for the fellowship,” Bugg said. “They come because they like the people and are comfortable worshipping with them, not for the guitars and drums. A lot of young people love the traditional music.”
The impact of introducing contemporary worship services to a congregation can be both positive and negative, Bugg said. The positive is that the modern music and more relaxed style can attract new members, he said. The negative is that it can alienate older members.
The key, Bugg believes, is to offer a worship service where people can study the scriptures and grow in faith. “It’s not the style of worship,” he said. “It is what is being taught and preached and how people treat each other. I want this to be a church where people love each other and work together.”
Currently, Bugg is spending most of his time getting to know his congregation and listening to its members. “I am talking to as many people as I can and mostly listening to what they have to say and what their expectations are for this church,” he said. “I am inviting members to come in for a cup of coffee and I will probably be visiting many of them in their homes.”
Bugg will be officially installed at the church’s senior pastor at a service at 3 p.m. Feb. 14.
“This is a pretty big deal in the Presbyterian Church,” Bugg said, and Presbyterian leaders from throughout the state are expected to attend. “It also is an opportunity for people in the community to meet me and I invite them to come.”
In his first days in Ashland, Bugg said he also has been talking to residents of the community.
“I have been asking people what they know about First Presbyterian, and I have been surprised to know how many know little or nothing about this church,” Bugg said. “I hope to change that.”
One way he hopes to do that is by becoming actively involved in the life of the community.
“I strongly believe that a church must take an active part in the community beyond the church walls and the pastor should be a leader in that,” Bugg said. “Although I have not been here long enough to know just what I will be involved in, I can assure you that I will be active. As I become better known in the community, I hope the church will become better known.”
Now that Bugg has been named senior pastor, the Rev. Jennifer Johnson, who filled the pulpit for most of the past two years, has returned to “doing what I really was hired to do.” As a young mother, she admits that it is a load off of her shoulders, although she received rave reviews from most of the church members during the time she was the primary pastor. In fact, one church elder said the reason why the church was able to take so much time to find the right person for senior pastor was because people were satisfied with Johnson.
Bugg said the motto at Gloria Dei was “a workshop of the Holy Spirit.
“That’s what I want First Presbyterian to be — a workshop of the Holy Spirit,” said the young pastor. “I want people to know that this is a place where they can come and find the Holy Spirit at work.”
JOHN CANNON can be reached at jcannon@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2649.
