Meet Our Staff
Pastor
Ryan Irmer
Ryan Irmer
Slackwood Presbyterian Church's pastor is Ryan Irmer. Ryan grew up in San Diego, CA, received his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from The University of California - Santa Barbara, and later, a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from California State University - Chico. For many years Ryan enjoyed being a physical education teacher and basketball coach. However, hearing and responding to God's call to ministry, he attended Princeton Theological Seminary where he will earn a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education.
Ryan and his family spent 2014-2015 in Northern Ireland as the Assistant Minister at Groomsport Presbyterian Church. It was a year filled with wonderful opportunities and experiences for the entire family which they will never forget. Ryan is excited to guide people towards the love and grace of Jesus Christ while serving, leading, and building lasting relationships at Slackwood Presbyterian and in our surrounding communities. Here is a link from Princeton Theological Seminary where he discusses his call to ministry.
Ryan's wife, Amelia, is very familiar with this area. While Ryan was studying, Amelia was quite active in Lawrenceville and Trenton. Currently Amelia works as a Special Education Assistant within the Lawrence Township School District. Their daughter, Alison, born on St. Patrick's Day, 2008, is enjoying new educational experiences and meeting new friends at Lawrence Intermediate School.
Ryan and his family spent 2014-2015 in Northern Ireland as the Assistant Minister at Groomsport Presbyterian Church. It was a year filled with wonderful opportunities and experiences for the entire family which they will never forget. Ryan is excited to guide people towards the love and grace of Jesus Christ while serving, leading, and building lasting relationships at Slackwood Presbyterian and in our surrounding communities. Here is a link from Princeton Theological Seminary where he discusses his call to ministry.
Ryan's wife, Amelia, is very familiar with this area. While Ryan was studying, Amelia was quite active in Lawrenceville and Trenton. Currently Amelia works as a Special Education Assistant within the Lawrence Township School District. Their daughter, Alison, born on St. Patrick's Day, 2008, is enjoying new educational experiences and meeting new friends at Lawrence Intermediate School.
Director of Music
Shelley Sanders Zuckerman
Shelley Sanders Zuckerman
The Director of Music, Shelley Sanders Zuckerman, is a life-long Presbyterian who brings to Slackwood a deep love for liturgy and music. She has degrees in organ and choral conducting as well as in divinity and liturgy, and she is committed to congregational music as a means of Christian formation and discipleship. From dancing before the ark, to standing in awe on hallowed ground, to bearing balm to wounded souls, we at Slackwood seek to live out life as the Body of Christ in our music!
Parish Visitor
Rev. James Klotz
Rev. James Klotz
James Klotz serves as Slackwood’s Parish Visitor, bringing the word and the sacrament to our members who are unable to attend in person, assisting Pastor Ryan and Music Director Shelley in worship, and supporting Slackwood’s Board of Deacons in their ministry of pastoral care. James is currently a Ph.D. student in the Old Testament program of the Biblical Studies department at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he also obtained his Master of Divinity degree in 2015. While at Princeton Seminary the first time, James served as Slackwood’s seminary intern from 2013-14. James is a lifelong Presbyterian from Georgia, but he took an indirect route to ministry—he worked for 11 years at a regional airline in Atlanta in roles ranging from customer relations and disability advocacy to flight operations and cartography. He started and directed a handbell choir for several years, and he is the current director of the Princeton Ringers.
James hopes to serve both church and academy, bridging the two by bringing the insights of biblical scholarship into the life of a congregation, and the heart of a congregation living and loving the Bible into the discussions of scholars.
James’ husband Patrick works for a nonprofit organization leading the fight against cancer and hails from West Virginia. They were married in James’ old home church, Morningside Presbyterian in Atlanta, in 2017. James was ordained at Slackwood in January 2018 and is a minister-member of the Presbytery of New Brunswick.
James hopes to serve both church and academy, bridging the two by bringing the insights of biblical scholarship into the life of a congregation, and the heart of a congregation living and loving the Bible into the discussions of scholars.
James’ husband Patrick works for a nonprofit organization leading the fight against cancer and hails from West Virginia. They were married in James’ old home church, Morningside Presbyterian in Atlanta, in 2017. James was ordained at Slackwood in January 2018 and is a minister-member of the Presbytery of New Brunswick.