The Rev. Ashley M. Love

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
      I awake, and I am still with you.           Psalm 139:17-18  

On November 1, 2019 The Rev. Ashley M. Love became the 27th Called Pastor of First Presbyterian Church.

Ashley was born and raised in the South Bay area of Los Angeles.  She cherishes her dear friends and family and has the special honor of being Auntie Ashley to an army of nieces and nephews, a title she holds with deep pride.

Prior to pursuing a call to ordained ministry with the Presbyterian church, Ashley worked in emergency shelters with youth and domestic violence survivors. She’s a longtime youth ministry volunteer, working with teenagers from her college days and continuing through seminary.  She is constantly in awe of the justice and mercy of Jesus Christ and the opportunity we have to be instruments of the love and healing we have received.

She received her training for ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary (MDiv. September 2017) and did her Clinical Pastoral Education (chaplain training) at Cedars-Sinai Hospital and Children’s Hospital, both in Los Angeles.  Ashley’s seminary internship was completed at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, where she focused on multicultural/bilingual ministry, adult education, and worship leadership.

Now a proud Stocktonian, Ashley enjoys exploring her new city and surrounding area.  On days off she can be found hiking, perusing farmer’s markets, cooking (usually the goods found at said farmer’s markets), sipping a cappuccino at her favorite local coffee shops, and walking her pit bull mix Duncan.