Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church is pleased to welcome Barron Flood as our Summer Pastoral Resident, starting on June 1. In this new position, Barron will provide spiritual leadership and pastoral care to our congregation while the Rev. Werner Ramirez, Associate Pastor for Congregational Care & Family Ministries, is on a well-deserved sabbatical until September.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Barron has just finished his first year in the Master of Divinity program at Princeton Theological Seminary. He holds degrees in History and Art History from Boston College and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. For nearly a decade, Barron built a career as a commercial litigator. However, in the last several years, he began to sense a call to ministry.

“I met Barron at a Field Education event at Princeton Seminary last fall,” says Werner, “and even then I thought ‘This guy might be my sabbatical coverage person.’ After many conversations, interviews, and lunches, I’m confident that this experience will be a gift to him and this church. I’m excited to hear what special connections and relationships he will make this summer at Fifth Avenue!”

A thoughtful, justice-oriented approach

Barron is pursuing ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through the Presbytery of New York City. A lifelong Presbyterian, he is a member of The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, where he serves as a ruling elder on session. Barron brings a thoughtful, justice-oriented approach to his work and is passionate about creating faith communities that allow space for curiosity and exploration, while remaining committed to loving and supporting neighbors.

“There are so many things that I’m excited about for this summer at Fifth Avenue!” Barron says. “This position gives me a unique opportunity to grow and develop my pastoral skills in a challenging and intensive way. As a former camp counselor, I am also particularly excited to work with Jaime to plan Family Camp and look forward to getting to know folks and spending time in creation together at Holmes in June.”

Walking with Fifth Avenue

Barron splits his time between Princeton and Park Slope, where he lives with his husband and their rescue dog, Roz. On the weekends you can find them walking around Prospect Park or in their kitchen working through a new cooking challenge. Barron is also an avid news reader and podcast listener, so feel free to give him (or ask for!) recommendations.

“From the moment I first spoke to Werner about this possibility last fall, I thought it would be a great fit and a wonderful opportunity for me,” Barron adds. “Having been involved in large churches my whole life, I am excited to experience church from the staff side, getting to know the congregation at Fifth Avenue, and walking with you all this summer.”