Pastor Alex Jerve
Born and raised near Minneapolis, I grew up participating in church, sports, Boy Scouts, and drama. Although initially intending to go into a career as a Physical Therapist, as a college student I became fully engaged in a Christian ministry group on UW-La Crosse’s campus. I was inspired by the older students in the group who were passionate about Jesus and made him a part of every word spoken, action taken, and choice made. I spent my college years as a leader of this group and a camp counselor at a Christian camp. After graduating, I served as a ministry intern at the camp, where I learned that sometimes ministry is NOT fun… sometimes it can be MESSY (And I mean literally; because I had to clean bathrooms!).
No longer interested in Physical Therapy school, God used my college connections to bring me back to La Crosse in 2014 for a full-time job as a Director of Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in La Crosse. I had the privilege of teaching and bonding with students in grades 6-12 through Bible studies, youth groups, mission trips, outreach events, and more. In addition, I became more and more interested in being a pastor and therefore started seminary studies through the University of Dubuque in 2017. I graduated with my masters of Divinity in 2021 and became ordained as a pastor in January 2023, and started as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Galesville in September 2023.
I’m thrilled to be the pastor of First Presbyterian Church! I’ve found the congregation to be welcoming, creative, and open-minded. They have embraced me as they embrace every single child, youth, and adult that walks through those doors. I look forward to growing as a pastor while we grow together as a family of faith and as a church.
