Reverend Dr. Victor R. Peterson
Pastor of the Ridgewood United Methodist Church
Victor grew up in Westbury, Long Island as a member of the Methodist Church and received his BA from Hofstra University New School in 1973. He became a restaurant manager and chef in Colorado until 1984 when he returned east to attend Drew University. Victor graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1988 with a Master of Divinity Degree. He has since served in the communities of Summit, Hawthorne, Dingman’s Ferry and Montclair.
Victor earned his Doctor of Ministry to Marriage and Family and is a certified Marriage and Family Therapist in addition to his pastoral duties. He writes: “I believe that the church offers a model and the solid foundation for family life. The church can be a family of families; the primary place where people live their daily lives and receive support care and nurture. The church offers these essentials and it will be a main focus for me.” Furthermore, “We are God’s family…we can be in constant communication with the One who made, saves and sustains us. Prayer, Bible study, meditation, worship and fellowship are the main ways we can enhance our relationship with God and with one another. Whether you’re a child in Sunday School, or in the bell choir, or a young adult playing guitar in the contemporary worship band, or in the United Methodist Women or Men’s Club, or in a Disciple class, or coming to worship at 9:45 on Sunday mornings, we belong to God and to each other. The Ridgewood United Methodist Church is where one can truly feel they belong.”
Victor writes that the defining characteristic of the Ridgewood United Methodist Church is “Grace”. God would have us live peace-filled and joyous lives. Victor invites all to “come out to church and we’ll get to know one another.”