2801 N. Rockwell Ave., Bethany, OK 73008-4631  ~  405-789-5887

Reverend Ron Phelps

 

pastor@westlakepresbyterian.org

 

Let us introduce you to our Pastor, Rev. Ron Phelps, who has been with the Westlake congregation since August 2003. 

 

Ron grew up in North Kansas City, Missouri, and came to Bethany, Oklahoma, in August 1966 to attend Southern Nazarene University.  He says that he fell in love with Oklahoma and knew that some day he wanted to live here. 

He returned to Kansas City to earn his Master’s degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary (1973).  He met his late wife Shirley, dated mostly by mail and weekend visits, and they married June 24, 1972.  Pastor and Shirley were married 35 years before her sudden and unexpected death Nov. 2007.  Their first child was Michael, born in Ohio and daughter Melissa, born in Illinois.  Mike’s wife, Kim, brought the first grandchild into the family January, 25 2010, followed quickly by Melissa just a week later on February 1,  2010.

 

After pastoring in central Ohio, central Illinois and northern Illinois, their family moved to Oklahoma. There he pastored two churches, earned his Doctor of Ministry (1985), and took a turn in ministry by entering Clinical Pastoral Education at Presbyterian Hospital in 1991.  In 1994 he was hired by the OU Medical Center as a staff chaplain and continues in that full time position working mostly at Children’s Hospital with the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit and the Women’s Center for Labor and Delivery and Maternal Care.

 

While in the CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) program he was asked to preach for ministers on vacation or leave of absence.  This led to the opportunity to serve as Temporary Pulpit Supply in many local Presbyterian Churches.  He served the Colony/Cordell congregations for 18 months and El Reno First Presbyterian for almost 4 years.  There were many local churches that called him to fill in for a month or more through the years as well.  Westlake is happy to call him our Pastor for these past six and a half years.

 

When asked about his preaching style Pastor Phelps is quick to respond, “I preach what the Lord teaches me as I read the Scripture.  If it doesn’t speak to my heart it won’t mean much to anyone else.”  At times he has been asked about drawing from sermon files for preaching and he is also quick to reply, “I don’t offer stale bread to a congregation.  If it isn’t fresh baked it isn’t really worth coming for.” 

 

Pastor Ron’s messages touch the heart, bringing emotional responses from listeners.  He has a great sense of humor sharing stories that will make you laugh as it teaches a Biblical truth.