Staff

Pastor Jeffrey Ingold was born in Pittsburgh, PA on May 30, 1962, into a family that had worshiped in the Lutheran church for generations.  After graduating from Bethel Park High School in 1980, he attended West Virginia Wesleyan College where he received his bachelor of arts in Music Performance.  During next five years Jeffrey endeavored to break into a professional life in music performance, three of those years in New York City where he had the privilege of working for a season as a supernumerary at the Metropolitan Opera.  It was in the proximity of the world’s greatest singers where he was able to measure his own talent against such impressive opera singers as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.  Convinced that a career in music was unlikely, he returned to Pittsburgh to consider his next move.  At that time Jeffrey became more involved in his home congregation, St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, and his love for church life was rekindled.  Throughout that year his home pastor, The Reverend Ed Naumann, along with the intern pastor began talk with Jeffrey about his work in the church and within that year he began to experience his calling to public ministry.  In 1993 he graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.  His first call was to pastor the people of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellwood City, PA (1993-96) followed by a memorable ministry at First Lutheran Church in Nashville, TN (1996-2002).  He has served at  Abiding Presence Lutheran Church since April 17, 2002.  Jeffrey’s three sons are Micah, Jonah, and Elijah.  Together, with his sons, Jeffrey enjoys the ministry of Abiding Presence along with the surrounding community in which he lives and pastors.  Pastor Jeffrey continues to be overwhelmed by the graciousness of the disciples of Jesus who worship and minister at and through the lively ministry of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church.