Pastor Josh Ruiter with wife Candice will be installed at Greenford Lutheran Church during the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday. (Submitted photo)

GREENFORD — Greenford Lutheran Church will be holding a special service for the installation of Pastor Josh Ruiter at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 7450 W. South Range Road.

Members of the community are invited. If anyone is unable to attend in person they may visit the church website, https://www.greenfordlutheran.org, for a link to the live streaming worship service on YouTube.

A luncheon will follow the service in the fellowship hall.

Before coming to Greenford Lutheran Church, Ruiter served as a pastor in the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) from 2014-2024. A native of Iowa, he was raised with three loves — God, bird dogs and baseball. He received his B.A. in Theology from Dordt University, and his M.A. in Theology from Liberty University Seminary.

His time in ministry began in international missions, serving in Jamaica, where he met his wife, Candice. Upon returning to the United States, he served as a youth pastor in the Washington, D.C., area before taking a position as a pastoral resident, similar to a medical residency for pastors. Following the completion of this program he served as an associate pastor in Philadelphia, Pa.

On his off days, Ruiter trades in his robes for chaps and cowboy boots, training bird dogs and competing in bird dog competitions with his French Brittanies Moose and Doc. Josh and Candice now call Boardman home with their two “our” dogs, Moose and Jiji.