Rev. Raegan Gilliland, our Pastor of Outreach and Engagement, and a native Kansan. Born and raised in Salina, KS. Raegan was somewhat raised in the Presbyterian Church, but it wasn’t until late high school and college when she started to make her faith her own and construct her beliefs. During her last year of college at Missouri State University, where she earned a Bachelor in Speech and Theatre Education, she started to feel a call to ministry.

She stumbled into her first ministry job as a youth ministry intern at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas. When that position came to a close, she applied all over the United States, eager to go wherever God led her. As a joke, she applied to a funny sounding church called Lovers Lane UMC in Dallas, TX. To her surprise, she was hired and moved to Dallas in October of 2009. After being at Lovers Lane for one year, she met her husband, Scott, who had also joined the staff, and they were married within one year. In fall of 2012, they enrolled at Perkins School of Theology. She graduated in 2016 and was ordained as an elder in June 2018.

While at Lovers Lane UMC, Raegan had a variety of roles including Associate Youth Director, Confirmation Director, Young Adults Pastor, Evangelism Pastor, and Co-Pastor of a modern worship service called “Thrive.” Raegan has found she is most passionate about connecting people to one another in order for them to grow together as a community of faith. She also enjoys preaching, marriage ministry, and being in ministry with families.

Raegan loves a great cup of coffee, Parks and Recreation, reading memoirs, making people laugh, traveling with friends, and having people over in her home for a meal that Scott prepares. More than anything, Raegan loves being with her family and raising three incredible kids, Andie Jane, Jude, and Morgan, with her husband Scott.