Introducing Pastor Scott Johnson
Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
I am humbled and honored to serve with people of the Pendleton Center and First Niagara Falls churches. Both congregations have rich histories of successful ministry, and it’s exciting to be a part of the next chapter in these stories. There is a great team of lay and clergy leaders in place, and I’m looking forward to seeing how God will use my gifts to enhance the good work that’s already happening. Having known Pastor Cathy for many years, I have no doubt that God will bless us through her leadership as we embrace the opportunities in front of us.
Know that I am praying for you as you work through the challenging days ahead, ministering to the community during the pandemic, and saying farewell to Pastor Tom and Pastor Lisa. Even though some moments may be hard, and some things may feel uncertain, we can be sure that God is with us. I know God has great things in store.
I can’t wait to meet you and join you in the work.
With Christ’s Love,
Scott
Introduction and Biography of Scott L. Johnson
Scott Johnson has served the United Methodist Church in numerous roles. He was elected Lay Leader of the former Western New York Annual Conference in 2004 and 2008. He was elected the first conference lay leader of the Upper New York Annual Conference in 2010 and served until 2016. Peers across the connection elected him to two terms as President of the Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders. He also served as a delegate to General Conference two times, leading the Upper New York delegation in 2012. Dr. Johnson has been blessed to be a member of two unique denomination-wide efforts: The Council of Bishop’s Call to Action Team and the Commission on a Way Forward. After receiving his license for pastoral ministry in 2017, he was appointed to serve the First United Methodist Church of Buffalo.
Scott is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He came to Buffalo from Penn State University in 1994 to join the faculty of the Criminal Justice Department at Buffalo State. His scholarly interests include criminological theory, racism in the criminal justice process, and criminal justice ethics. He served in academic administration for several years, returning to the faculty in 2017.
He and his wife Jennifer live in the city of Buffalo. Jennifer works as an administrative assistant at Medaille College. They have three daughters - Kristian (22) who works as a customer service representative, Angelyn (19) will be a student at the University of Buffalo this fall, and Michaela (15) who attends Mount Saint Mary’s Academy.