Dr. Johnny Pressley loves Sundays.

A day of rest and relaxation for some is one of First Church of Christ new senior minister’s favorite day to work.

Pressley said he enjoys standing before his new congregation, preaching fresh passages and perspectives.

“No. 1 is Sunday morning. I love Sunday mornings,” Pressley said. “When I preach, I like to teach a new passage you’ve probably never seen before.”

Pressley moved to Washington earlier this summer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He preached his first Sunday on June 11, according to a press release from the church.

Pressley is no stranger to church ministry; he has spent over three decades teaching it.

For seven years, he taught at Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City before trekking up north to teach at the Cincinnati Christian University. He spent 27 years there.

“I was teaching people for ministry, so I decided to do it myself. That’s what brought me to Washington,” Pressley said.

Pressley said the transition into his new role at the church has been relatively seamless. He said he had about five to six months of preparation with the church before arriving in June.

Church members said they are excited to have Pressley on board with them.

“Johnny has the ability to take profound biblical passages and relate them in a way for everyone to understand. He delivers good biblical preaching that’s relevant for today,” the release stated.

Pressley has southern roots, as he said he was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Panama City, Florida. He said he’s excited to be back in the south, which is closer to family — and southern food.

“It’s nice to be back in the south. Things are quite different. It reminds me of a kid growing up. People are very friendly. People I don’t know in restaurants and in the shops are very friendly. … There’s some southern food you just don’t quite get the same way up there,” he said.

Pressley, a long-distance runner, said he often can be found up before the sun, running on the Washington waterfront. He said he’s excited to be in a new town and meet new, friendly faces.

“I’m looking forward to being here. Everybody out there, stop by some Sunday and see who the new guy is,” Pressley said.