Pastor Ryan Groh

The Rev. Ryan M. Groh was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 21, 1999, to his mother, Elizabeth Groh, and his father, Jeffrey Groh. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Moore, Oklahoma.

He attended the preschool and elementary school at St. John’s in Moore, then went on to a local public junior high and high school. He later enrolled at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, where he met his beautiful wife, Grace. They were married on April 18, 2020, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Missouri. He graduated from Concordia University with a degree in Psychology, having also completed the Pre-Seminary program.

Following graduation, they moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Pastor Groh attended Concordia Theological Seminary. He did his fieldwork at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Ohio City, Ohio, and his vicarage at Faith Lutheran Church in Capistrano Beach, California. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity and was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry on July 12, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Church - Schubert in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Dear Saints,

Here I am including a portion of a letter written by our District President, Lee

Hagan, regarding the upcoming election and the vote on Amendment 3:

“The church’s confession of God’s design for the family is closely connected

to the sanctity of human life and our responsibility to speak for those who

cannot speak for themselves. The Synod and its congregations have  

consistently spoken about the sanctity of human life: ‘For you formed my

inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb’ (Ps. 139:13  

ESV). We are also reminded to speak up for those who cannot speak for

themselves (Prov. 31:8–9). . .

I also want to address Amendment 3, a proposed amendment to the Missouri

constitution that will appear on the November 2026 ballot. Because the 2026

Amendment 3 is substantially different from the Amendment 3 approved by

Missouri voters in 2024, it is important to understand what the current

amendment would change.

A “yes” vote would repeal Article I, Section 36, of the Missouri Constitution.

It would allow legislation to regulate abortion providers and facilities, require

informed and voluntary consent including parental or judicial consent for

minors, allow abortion to be restricted to medical emergencies, rape, or incest

under 12 weeks’ gestation, and fetal anomalies, and prohibit gender transition

procedures for minors, with specified exceptions.

A “no” vote would leave Article I, Section 36 in place. This would leave

abortion access from conception through fetal viability and would allow

gender transition procedures for minors.

Pray for our elections, for those who serve in positions of authority, and

for Christians to faithfully exercise their calling as citizens. Our hope is

that members of Missouri District congregations, and all Missouri voters, will

be informed and exercise their rights as citizens to speak up for those who

cannot speak for themselves, and as we do so, to speak the truth in love. We

also pray that the church would demonstrate Christ’s love and mercy to our

neighbors in need, especially in caring for children and their mothers both

before and after birth.”

October 2026