ALABASTER – First Presbyterian Church of Alabaster recently welcomed new senior pastor Matthew Ingram.

Ingram, a Shelby County native who grew up near Montevallo, started the job Aug. 1 with his first Sunday being Aug. 4. Ingram comes to Alabaster from Greensburg, Kentucky where he served as the pastor of Greensburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church for two years.

He said he always hoped to eventually return to Shelby County, but with the denomination being so small he thought an opportunity might not come.

“But then this job opened up, it was the perfect opportunity,” he said. “The church has been gracious and excited for us to be here. It’s only been two weeks, so there’s still more meetings and more people to meet, but so far our goals and beliefs line up and we are unified on what we need to do.”

Ingram is also a husband to Lindsey, and a father to three children – Lilly, 11, Gabe, 8, and Scarlet, 7.

He graduated from the University of Montevallo in 2002 with a degree in math. Over the years, Ingram said he started feeling led to ministry, but it wasn’t until 2014 that he decided it was the path he wanted to take in life. He graduated from Memphis Theological Seminary in 2017.

On Sundays, snack time is at 9 a.m. with Sunday School beginning at 9:15 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. A fellowship program for kids in grades K-6 starts at 4 p.m. and a youth fellowship for grade seven and up starts at 5:30 p.m. A meal is served for all at 5 p.m.

“Everyone is welcomed and invited to be a part of the church,” Ingram said.