Ronald J. Degges

The Rev. Ronald J. Degges is gifted with a deep, joyous, articulate, and always respectful-of-others faith that has been a constant inspiration to his parishioners, colleagues in ministry, and ecumenical and interfaith partners. Ron motivates and inspires people. He sees the qualities of others and taps into them, inviting and guiding them to contribute. He then helps them be successful. Through his 30-plus years in ministry serving churches in Maryland, Iowa, Delaware, Virginia, and California, Ron has seen and experienced the Disciples from coast to coast.

Through his work with the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council he has developed and hosted a series of interfaith discussions throughout Southern California and produced an interfaith film entitled, Putting Faith Into Action. He has recently traveled to Turkey to meet with Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders, has attended a seminar on Contemporary Muslim Thought held at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and represented the Disciples at the Inaugural Institute on Religion and Civic Values event entitled, "Educating for Religious Freedom and Mutual Respect," held at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

In his work with churches and interfaith groups, Ron articulates his vision, inspires the group to form a plan, encourages members to reach out of their comfort zones to participate in leadership and team roles. He encourages people to never settle for anything less than the best in their life, in their world, and in their universe.

Degges is a graduate of Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., and Yale University Divinity School in New Haven, Conn. His most recent publication is, Fifty-four Years, Four Months, Seventeen Days: Relationships That Enhance Our Living.

Until January 2009, he lived in Los Angeles, Calif. with his wife of almost 22 years, Deniese Ruth Degges, and is father of five children: Joshua, Randall, Joey, Hope and Michele. Joshua is a graduate of the University of Miami with a degree in Music Composition; Randall and Joey are Engineering students at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) respectively; Hope graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in June 2009 and began college in New York; and, youngest daughter, Michele, a high school sophomore, will relocate to Indianapolis with her mother, Deniese, to join Degges in his new position as President of Disciples Home Missions.