8-19-2024 10:23pm

Roscoe Methodist Church welcome Pastor Ryan Sutton

Pastor Ryan Sutton at Roscoe United Methodist Church

A few months ago, friends, family and members of Roscoe United Methodist Church said farewell to Pastor Paul Meyers. After 14 years leading the congregation, Pastor Paul and his wife Kendra were retiring and moving to Maine.

As of July 1, 2024, a new chapter in RUMC history began. Pastor Ryan Sutton was welcomed to Roscoe and to the Roscoe United Methodist community. Founded in 1836, the church is located at 10816 Main Street in Roscoe.

Pastor Ryan has spent most of his life in the Midwest. “I grew up in Chana, IL, a small rural community near Rochelle, IL.” He graduated from Rochelle High School and North Central College in Naperville, IL.

“I majored in business and really had no thoughts of becoming a minister.” His plans changed in his senior year. “God got ahold of me that year. I decided to become a minister instead.”

He graduated from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

During his time there, he served as part-time chaplain at Children’s Hospital in Troy, Ohio. “My experience at the Children’s Hospital was a blessing.”

He was ordained in DeKalb, Illinois, in 2019.

Pastor Ryan comes to Roscoe after serving the Methodist congregation of Princeton, Illinois for five years.

Pastor Ryan is single and said he is able to give time to the church as well as the Roscoe community.

“I am a music lover. I sing, play the piano, and collect music. In my spare time, I enjoy playing pickle ball and tennis.”

Pastor Ryan recently joined 14 teenagers and six adult church members for a missionary trip to Ireland. The group spent a week working with the residents of The Flats in Dublin.

RUMC was not unfamiliar to Pastor Ryan. “I visited the congregation a number of times before my official arrival, July 1, 2024. He had the opportunity to meet several members of the congregation, Roscoe Village Board members, Harlem Roscoe firefighters, and the police department.

“I’m not planning to change anything here. Things seem to be going very well.

“So far, it’s been a smooth transition.”