Rev. Ryan Lambert: Pastor and Teacher

The Rev. Ryan Lambert has been serving as Pastor at Kirkland Congregational United Church of Christ since July 1, 2014. Before coming to lead our church he served as the Associate Pastor at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Corvallis, Oregon and received his Masters of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.

Ryan was raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and came to know the United Church of Christ when the two denominations combined for church camps during his youth. He found a home in the United Church of Christ because of its emphasis on justice work and faithfully working to create the realm of God on this earth. He is passionate about speaking and working for justice within the walls of the church and on the streets of our community, believes ecumenical and interfaith work are vital to the future of Christianity, and listens for God in holy scripture, contemporary music, films, and sacred conversations while sharing a cup of coffee or a pint of (dark) beer.

Ryan shares his life with wife Shauna, daughters Grace and Marin, and their dog Zeek. When not at church you might find him water skiing on Lake Washington, enjoying fresh picked raspberries from the garden, or dealing with the ups and downs of being a Mariners’ fan.

Ryan’s preferred pronouns are he/him.

Email Ryan at: revryanlambert (at) gmail (dot) com

Gale Peterson: Director

of Christian Education

Gale is a life-long member of the United Church of Christ and has been a member of Kirkland Congregational United Church of Christ for over 40 years. Gale's educational background is in teaching and in her work as Director of Christian Education she organizes the education for all generations of our church. Gale leads our church school for our elementary-age children, helps guide our youth group and organizes diverse educational offerings for adults. Gale has served on the Pacific Northwest Conference's Outdoor Ministries committee, directed Kid's Camp (for children in 2-4th grades) at Camp N-Sid-Sen, and served on the conference policy committee tasked with developing and implementing Safe Camp policies.

Gale lives in Kirkland, where she recently adopted Henry, an 8 year-old boxer. She is a grandmother of 5, and enjoys spending time with her family and gardening.

Email Gale at: gale246 (at) frontier (dot) com