LEADERSHIP

Pastor Virginia Bairby (Ginna) serves as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Taos. Describing her call to Taos, Ginna writes, “I was looking for a congregation ready to do the difficult work of discerning what it means to be the church in a post-Christendom world. I am honored to shepherd First Presbyterian Church of Taos as it discovers its place in twenty-first century Christianity, holding the substance of our faith tightly, but its forms and particularities lightly.”

“I am thrilled to serve a congregation eager to participate in God’s work of love, justice, and reconciliation and embody the community of God’s Kingdom, knowing we can only ever do so imperfectly.”

After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the College of William and Mary in 2009, Ginna received her Master of Divinity from Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2013, where she was awarded the prestigious Faculty Fellowship for Graduate Study.

Following graduation from Union Presbyterian Seminary, Ginna was called to the PC(USA) national offices in Louisville as Managing Editor of “Unbound” and Associate for Young Adult Social Witness. “Unbound” is an award-winning online social justice journal with an average yearly readership of 30,000 to 40,000 readers. During her tenure as editor, “Unbound” won 13 awards from the Associated Church Press, including twice winning the Second Place Best in Class Award for an independent website.

As Associate for Young Adult Social Witness, Ginna’s work included leading and facilitating workshops, conversations, and training events related to the social justice ministries of the PC(USA), with a particular focus on young adults. Prior to this position, Ginna served for one year as a PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer in Lima, Peru. Her responsibilities included working with children ages 4 to 18 at a Compassion International after-school program, and translating for a Peru-based fair-trade program called Bridge of Hope. She is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Ginna has been a featured speaker and organizer at events across the country and presented workshops on Peacemaking, Faith-Based Advocacy, the Challenges of the Church in the 21st Century, and Childhood Education. She has interned as a hospital Chaplain at the University of Virginia Health System and as Student Pastor at Rennie Memorial Presbyterian Church in Amelia, Virginia. In 2011, Ginna served as a Fellow for International Issues with the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness, Washington, DC.

Ginna is grateful for the friendliness of both First Presbyterian Church and the Taos community as a whole as she makes her home here. She enjoys the life and culture of Taos, particularly the local music scene. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and taking in the beauty of Northern New Mexico.