Our Pastor
Andrew McHenry has been the Pastor of First Congregational Church since August of 2008. In his background he has served as a pastor, youth pastor, prison chaplain, or hospital chaplain intern since 1992 – and has worked in churches of Congregational Christian, Independent Bible, United Methodist, and Disciples of Christ affiliation. “First a Christian – second anything else” is one of his mottos.
Pastor Andrew’s biggest influence and inspiration is Jesus Christ. He was raised in nearby Topeka, Kansas in a mainline church – which gave him a good introduction to the life and teachings of Jesus, the hope of eternal life, and basic practices of Christian worship, learning and growth. He gave his life to Christ while he was a teenager, and was a part of the Navigators parachurch campus ministry while in college at the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1992. Under their tutelage he gained more of a doctrinal emphasis on salvation by God’s grace and the redemption of the cross. He also discerned his call into ministry while he was in college.
Pastor Andrew is a 1992 graduate of KU and a 1995 graduate (M.Div.) of Saint Paul School of Theology, in Kansas City. He also earned his Certification in Expository Preaching from E.K. Bailey Ministries in 2001. Theologically he describes himself as “evangelical, but not fundamental”. His influences cover a range of thought – including Augustine, Thomas a Kempis, Martin Luther, Jacobus Arminius, John Wesley, C.S. Lewis, Ron Sider, and Thomas Oden, as well as others.
Andrew’s ministerial service interests include the Happy Life Children’s Home of Nairobi, Kenya. He has visited Kenya twice, and worked to make the home a recognized mission of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. He also has an interest in evangelical fellowship, having been President of the Evangelical Association of Greater Topeka for four years. And he has served as Moderator and Kansas Regional Ambassador for the Mid-America Congregational Fellowship as well.
Andrew has been married to his beautiful wife Hillary since July 4th, 2009. Together they live in Emporia – with their housecat Corey.
Click here or on “Pastor’s Message” (in frame at left) for Andrew’s monthly message...