Rev. Dr. Richard D. Ellsworth
Pastor
Central College Presbyterian Church

Richard D. Ellsworth was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 16, 1925. Upon graduation from high school he entered Case Institute of Technology. Soon after, however, he entered the Army and served in both the European and Pacific theaters. Following the war, he reentered Case and graduated in January of 1950 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Ellsworth was first associated with Borden Dairy and Ice Cream Company in Columbus, Ohio, as a field engineer for the Midwest Division. He then went to work for Battelle Memorial Institute as a research engineer. While at Battelle he felt called to full time ministry.

He attended the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary at Capital University (now known as Trinity Seminary) in Columbus, Ohio. While he was a student, he continued to work part-time at Battelle. He was also a student pastor at three area churches.

He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Seminary in June 1960. In May of 1995 he was the recipient of the Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Muskingum College.

The Central College Presbyterian Church in Westerville, Ohio, called Ellsworth to be their pastor in November, 1958. Following his ordination, he officially became a minister in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. He has served as pastor of Central College Church since 1958. Under his leadership and ministry, the congregation has grown from 250 to about 2,700 members.

He is past president of the Westerville Area Ministerial Association, Westerville Area Council of churches, past president and member of the Board of Trustees for the House of Hope for Alcoholics, Inc., past president and member of the Board of Trustees for the Columbus Council on Alcoholism, past president of the Ohio Association on Alcoholism Programs, past president and member of the Board of Trustees for the Westerville Public Library. He is a member of the Navy League, serving as Chaplain of the Columbus chapter. He served as president of the Board of Directors of the Buckhorn Children's Center in Kentucky, as well as volunteer interim director for six months. He serves on the Board of Trustees for National Church Residences, a non-profit ministry with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, which provides housing and care for the elderly throughout the United States.

He serves as Chaplain for the Division of Police and Fire in the City of Columbus. In may 1991, he was appointed State Chaplain for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. In November 2001 Dr. Ellsworth served as Chaplain at Ground Zero, New York, through the International Council of Police Chaplains.

Dr. Ellsworth is actively involved in a mission outreach to Honduras, having made 12 trips with construction and medical teams.

Dr. Ellsworth is the author of the book, Common Prayers for God's Uncommon People. He is married and has four daughters (one deceased), one son, and 10 grandchildren. He and his wife, Linda, reside in the Harbor Hills community at Buckeye Lake.