Glenville Installs First Woman Pastor

Allegheny West Conference and the Glenville church in Cleveland recently made history when leaders installed the first female pastor, Regina Johnson. Johnson is serving as Glenville's administrative pastor.

Story by Allegheny West Conference staff

Johnson graduated from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., in May 2012, then joined the WAU Office of Ministry team as chaplain of ministry. While serving at WAU, she led the development of Crossroads, a student-led church service, started several new ministries and helped prepare 85 students for baptism.

Johnson has also been actively involved in service and outreach around the world. She led an evangelistic series in Uganda, which led to the baptism of more than 200 people. In India she led a group of students who graduated more than 2,300 children from Vacation Bible School. She most recently traveled to Brazil, where her mission group restored and renovated an ex-drug rehabilitation center, conducted a “world cup tournament” and helped form a cheerleading squad for children in a low- income neighborhood.

Pastor Johnson encourages all to “stop trying to understand God and understand that He knows what He’s doing.” She says she “loves the Lord, and has realized that listening to His voice is the best thing you could ever do.”

MyRon Edmonds, Glenville's senior pastor, says they couldn’t be happier to have Johnson on their staff.