Biographical Sketch of Mike Krech

Retired 2012

The Reverend John Michael Krech has served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Somerville, Tennessee, since October 1, 2005. Mike was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Rhodes College and Memphis Theological Seminary. Mike’s previous pastorates include serving as co-pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Bartlett, Tennessee, and pastor of Raleigh Presbyterian Church, Memphis; Brookhaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee; Hillview Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Kentucky, and Morning Sun Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Cordova, Tennessee.

Mike and his wife Patsy, who teaches and works in the Academic Dean’s office at the University of Memphis, have two grown children: Ryan Krech, M.D., who lives in Irving, Texas, with his wife Aimee Vafaie Krech, M.D. and their children, Addie and Will; and Emily Krech Mayne, who lives in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, with her husband Seth.

Mike’s great satisfactions in ministry come from the traditional role of a pastor in the Presbyterian tradition - preaching and leading in worship, teaching, pastoral care, and witness and involvement in the community. Mike loves the great hymns of the church and believes strongly in the power of our historic Presbyterian worship in Word and Sacrament to bring believers into God’s presence with reverence and awe. Week by week Mike finds it a privilege and a challenge to bring the truth of Scripture to bear on the lives we live in the present time. Presbyterians have long valued education, and Mike believes that a growing faith is always in conversation with the arts and sciences. He loves teaching and learning together as well as putting what we learn to practice for the good of the community. Mike has served the Presbytery of the Mid South as moderator of the presbytery, chair of the Committee on Ministry, chair of Presbytery council, and commissioner to the 2003 General Assembly of the PCUSA. In the community Mike has been a member of the Rotary Club of Somerville since his arrival here in 2005 and volunteers as a chaplain at the Methodist Hospital of Fayette County.

As much as Mike believes in and loves the church, he also believes in and loves “sabbath rest,” that is, activities which renew the mind, body and spirit. Among Mike’s interests are baseball, tennis, travel, trivia, table games, and astronomy. Mike has journeyed to see four total eclipses of the sun and hopes to see another one in 2012.