Meet our new Pastor/Head of Staff

Rev. Deborah A. McKinley

The congregation of Lewinsville Presbyterian Church voted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 to call the Rev. Deborah A. McKinley as its new Pastor/Head of Staff. Debbie succeeds the 37-year ministry of the Rev. Gary G. Pinder.  Rev. Pinder retired with the title of Pastor Emeritus.

Debbie McKinley grew up in southern California, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Communications from the University of California, San Diego, and her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Her first call came from Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where she was ordained in 1982.  

She was first an Assistant Pastor before the congregation called her to be Associate Pastor.  Her ministry, which began with a focus on education, was soon expanded to include pastoral care and membership development. 

In 1991, she joined the national staff of the Presbyterian Church USA as Associate for Worship with the Theology and Worship Ministry Unit of the General Assembly Council.  In that capacity, she served as an editorial consultant on the Book of Common Worship and was responsible for introducing this resource to Presbyterian churches nationwide. 

In 1995, she was called to be the pastor at Old Pine Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.  For nearly 14 years, she was the sole pastor.  Debbie also supervised the Executive Director of the Old Pine Community Center, a facility owned and operated by the church as a mission outreach in the neighborhood.

As she begins her ministry at Lewinsville, Debbie will continue her service on the Board of Trustees of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Debbie and her husband, David Rich, were married in 1987. David is a retired Presbyterian minister who spent most of his career in campus ministry.  The ten years prior to retirement were with the Board of Pensions, first in Louisville for a short time and then, Philadelphia.

We welcome Debbie and David to our Lewinsville family as we open a new chapter in the life of the “church at Barrett’s Crossroads” and step off on a new journey together.