JoCo Notes: Village Pres names Rodger Nishioka new senior pastor

It is Friday, Dec. 22, Shawnee Mission.

️ Today’s forecast: Cloudy with rain likely this morning. High: 59. Low: 45.

One thing to know

Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd., officially is under new pastoral leadership.

Last week, the congregation unanimously approved changing Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka’s title from co-pastor to senior pastor, Laura Davis, the church’s director of marketing and communications, told the Post via email on Thursday.

Nishioka is Village Presbyterian Church’s first pastor of color in its nearly 75-year history, Davis said. His time with the church began in March 2016 as director of adult faith formation and then moving to a senior associate pastor role, according to his online biography.

In January 2023, Nishioka became co-pastor alongside longtime senior pastor Rev. Tom Are. After a 20-year tenure, Are stepped down from his leadership role with Village Presbyterian Church in October.

Nishioka was bon in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and was raised in Seattle, according to his online biography. Nishioka holds a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific University, a master’s of arts in theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary and a doctorate’s from Georgia State University.

Prior to his time at Village Presbyterian, Nishioka taught at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta.

“The son of Rev. Richard and Alice Nishioka, he is evidence that you can be a pastor’s kid and still love Jesus and the church,” Nishioka’s biography reads.