The pastor of the Greenway Church is Dr. Peter Legner.  Peter did not grow up in the church.  His mother became a Christian about the time he was born, and she encouraged him to read the Bible and pray every day before school.  Church involvement, however, was not a part of his faith.  Peter became a Christian and became involved in the church in high school.  He grew up in Tipp City, Ohio, and became part of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, one of the fastest growing United Methodist churches in the country.  In 1979, only about 100 people attended the church, but today, over 2,000 people worship every Sunday at Ginghamsburg.

 

    As a senior in high school, Peter felt a call to ministry while on a mission trip to Jackson, Mississippi.  He immediately began a new club in his high school called Athletes for Christ.  Peter then went on to Miami University where he graduated with a degree in math.  During his college years, Peter worked with Campus Crusade for Christ and the United Methodist Wesley Foundation.  In Campus Crusade, Peter learned to explain the gospel of Christ to others.  Peter further developed his leadership skills at the Wesley Foundation, serving as student president of the organization. Peter then attended Asbury Theological Seminary.  While at Asbury, he pastored United Methodist Churches near Cincinnati.  Peter was then appointed to serve as the associate pastor of Lindenwald United Methodist Church in Hamilton, Ohio.  The main responsibilities that Peter was asked to cover were working with single adults and youth.  The singles program grew while Peter was at the church, but more of his time was spent in youth ministry.  The church had no organized youth program at the time, but Peter helped to develop the youth ministry, Tasc Force (Teens Actively Serving Christ).  Many of the youth involved in this ministry made commitments to Christ and are active in Christian work today.

 

    In 1993, Peter returned to Asbury to work on his doctor of ministry degree.  He was awarded the Beeson Program Scholarship providing free tuition, housing, a lab top computer, all required books, and several trips to significant churches across the United States.  The Beeson program focuses on training pastors in leadership skills and in preaching.  Peter completed his dissertation on ministering to single adults and accepted a job as the singles pastor of the Wenatchee Free Methodist Church.

 

    Peter's responsibilities in Wenatchee were to oversee the ministry to single adults (25+) and to work with "Delta," a college aged ministry involving 60 college students every week. He then returned to the United Methodist Church as the pastor of the Highland United Methodist Church in Tieton, Washington, where he served as pastor for five years.

 

    While serving the Highland church, Peter was been recognized by the Washington Association of School Administrators in the city of Yakima for his leadership in volunteering and serving in the Highland School District.  He tutored students in math from basic levels to calculus, served on school committees, worked in a reading program, as well as helping with high school football and basketball games in varying capacities.  While living in Tietion, Peter began working with Young Life, an evangelical youth organization reaching out to un-churched youth in the Yakima Valley.  He continues to work with Young Life, serving as the head leader at East Valley high school in Yakima.

 

    Peter's passion in ministry is building relationships and reaching to those outside the Christian faith.  He maintains relationships with many of the youth and volunteers that he worked with in Ohio.  He donates time at the school and maintains excellent relationships with the school administrators and teachers because of his desire to reach out to the people of the community where he serves.