The First Presbyterian Church of Alpena recently installed Rev. William J. Rayment as its new pastor. Officials of the Presbytery of Mackinac along with several elders conducted the installation ceremony on June 24 with members and friends of the congregation in attendance.

Rayment recently graduated from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, with a master of divinity degree. Prior to his tour in the U.S. Navy, he earned a bachelor of arts in history and business administration from Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb. This is Rayment’s first full-time position after serving as ruling elder for several years and providing pulpit supply in several church in Michigan’s Thumb.

Rayment has worked in a variety of settings: owner of a toy store, warehouse supervisor for Vlassic/Campbell’s Soup and web developer. In 1993, he began writing and is the author of seven books, including Grezundi and the Frog Prince, How Not to Build an Addition, and The Real Man’s Cookbook. His most recent volume is a Bible study, Covenant Violations: The Ten Commandments and God’s People, which was published in 2017.

Rayment and his wife, Robin, have two children. Their daughter just graduated from the University of Michigan and their son will soon be a student at Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

Rayment is looking forward to using technology to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the community while still retaining traditional forms of worship. He comes to First Presbyterian Church of Alpena with special skills in preaching and leading worship, media communications, interpersonal engagement, and flexibility.