When East Fairview Church of the Brethren members began looking for a new pastor in 2020 after their pastor of 23 years announced his retirement, they didn't have to look far. Ryan Clift, who became the new senior pastor earlier this year, spent most of his childhood in Manheim. That was part of the appeal of the position, he said.

"I was excited to come back to Manheim, having been raised in the community," explained Clift, who was installed in January at the church, located at 1187 Fairview Road in Manheim. "So many people in Manheim had a hand in playing an influential role in my life, from my family to parents of friends to teachers and coaches. Being able to come back and carry on that tradition of building up the lives of the young people in our community was very appealing to me."

After graduating from Millersville University with a degree in business management, Clift worked for Signature Staffing in the Harrisburg area but also volunteered at Ephrata Church of the Brethren. While volunteering, he felt called to attend seminary, so he earned a Master of Divinity and became pastor of the Conewago Church of the Brethren in Hershey in 2019.

Ann Moyer, chair of East Fairview's search committee, said Clift was the perfect choice for senior pastor. "Pastor Ryan has strong Christian convictions and biblical knowledge," she stated. "He is approachable and always available to dialogue about what the Bible tells us. He is very grounded and has the initiative to work towards fulfilling the vision of the church to reach those who need Jesus."

Clift said his main goal for the church - and for himself as pastor - is to help others to know and live for Jesus. "We are trying to be a light in the community and help others," he said. "We are just everyday people, men and women doing our best to try and live for Jesus, and we understand that we might not always get it right, but that we're trying to do our best. We want to share the good news of Jesus with the community."

Moyer said Clift has fit right in at the church. "Even though he's been with us for a short time, our experience so far has confirmed that he was the right choice," she remarked. "We feel extremely blessed to have him as our senior pastor and expect others who may learn to know him would feel the same."

East Fairview Church of the Brethren holds services on Sundays at 9 a.m. For more information, visit https://eastfairview.com.