Pastor Bob and Peggy Ripley
John Aycock
PebbleCreek Community Church is pleased to introduce Pastor Robert W. Ripley who, following a 12 month nation-wide search, was installed as our new pastor at a service on November 11. Pastor Bob replaces Dennis Kizziar who earlier announced his desire to retire and who worked closely with our pastor search committee to find his replacement.
Robert Ripley (Pastor Bob) is a native of Brewer, Maine. He was introduced to Christianity and church involvement from a young age, coming from a family of ministers. He attended Glen Cove Bible College (now New England Bible College). There, he majored in Biblical Studies (including original languages) and minored in Missions. While in college, he was a part of several traveling music groups that ministered throughout New England and New York. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Education and went on to Pensacola Christian College where he received a BA in Christian Liberal Arts.
Pastor Bob ministered as a Christian School educator for five years in Christian day schools in Alabama. He has also served as youth director/pastor, and as Senior Pastor for churches in Maine and Massachusetts. These experiences reflect the breadth of Christian backgrounds we “Creekers” bring to our community church. His most recent position was as the Senior Pastor at the First Congregational Church of Rochester, Massachusetts.
Pastor Bob’s major spiritual gift is that of pastor/teacher. He is dedicated to a ministry that both reaches the lost for Christ and strives to deepen the roots of those reached, so that they become mature believers working for the cause of Christ. Whether through sermons, Bible studies or one-on-one counseling settings, Pastor Bob seeks to help all believers learn to exercise their spiritual gifts.
Pastor Bob’s wife, Peggy, grew up in a small town southwest of Chicago. She received her Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Eastern Illinois University. After working as a Speech Pathologist for five years, she returned to school to become a paralegal. Peggy moved to Tucson where she lived for ten years and then to Massachusetts where she and Bob met and were married. She has been an Estate and Trust Accountant for over thirty years.
After many cold, harsh northeast winters, Pastor Bob and Peggy decided to make Arizona their home. We are blessed that they have found our congregation and PebbleCreek. They are now leasing a home in Glendale while they look for a home in our community.
Our congregation is excited to see what God has in store for us, for Pastor Bob and for our PebbleCreek community. Please join us any Sunday as we meet starting at 9:00 a.m. in our Eagle’s Nest Ballroom, followed by a time of fellowship during which there is always opportunity to visit with Pastor Bob and Peggy, in addition to friends and neighbors. Please also visit our website at www.pebblecreekchurch.org/.