Rev. Dr. John Charles Tittle is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and was ordained in 1998. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from George Fox University. He has certificates in Clinical Pastoral Education and Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
John’s first call was as Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Kennewick, WA, after which he spent four years in a Central Washington Presbytery validated ministry of mission work in Alexandria, Egypt. Upon returning to the United States, he was called as Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Douglasville, Georgia. John has been at Immanuel since 2008 and absolutely loves Tucson and Immanuel.
John and Sarah have been married since 1999 and are blessed with four children: Abby, Luke, Jude, and Phoebe. John enjoys listening to people’s life stories. He wants to be a loving presence in the lives of the people in his congregation. He has a listening, pastoral way with all generations, from young singles and families to “seasoned keenagers.”
John celebrates diversity – different perspectives – and seeks to be sensitive to all points of view. He is described as gifted in teaching and leading, and is passionately committed to Jesus. He has keen insight on making the Gospel pertinent and fresh for today. One of John’s colleagues in ministry said, “John is first and foremost passionate about Jesus – following Jesus, seeking to become more like Jesus, communicating Jesus clearly and passionately, and going where Jesus goes – to the poor and the downtrodden. John is passionate about relationships with his family, his church, his friends, and his world.”
A Few of John’s Favorite Things
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Family!
John, Sarah, Abby, Luke, Jude, Phoebe
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John’s Favorite Pandemic Reading:
The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, by John M. Barry
The Plague, by Albert Camus
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World, by Patrik Svensson
Leadership: In Turbulent Times, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Good Morning, Monster: Five Heroic Journeys to Recovery, by Catherine Gildiner
Unapologetic: Why Despite Everything Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense, by Francis Spufford
Essays by Alan Jacobs: How to Think: A Guide for the Perplexed (2017), Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind (2020), The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (2011)
Union: A Democrat, a Republican, and a Search for Common Ground, by Jordan Blashek and Christopher Haugh
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in an Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander
Leadership in War: Essential Lessons From Those Who Made History, by Andrew Roberts
Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life, by Ozan Varol
Never Enough: The Neuroscience of Addiction, by Judith Grisel
Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Begin, by Dan Heath
The Choice: Embrace the Possible, by Edith Eva Eger
Practice in Christianity, by Soren Kierkegaard
Philosopher of the Heart: The Restless Heart of Soren Kierkegaard, by Clare Carlisle
The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being in Charge Isn’t What It Used to Be, by Moises Naim
The Laws of Human Nature, by Robert Greene
Recently enjoyed movies/TV shows: This is Us, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Blade Runner 2049, The Big Sick, Stranger Things, War for the Planet of Apes, On Body and Soul, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, Darkest Hour
Music on heavy rotation: Jeff Tweedy, Robyn, Phosphorescent, Wild Nothing, Alvvays, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, and Stars of the Lid
Favorite artists: Chagall, Rothko, Pollock, and Van Gogh
Favorite Bible Story: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace
Favorite comfort food: Avocados, pistachios, and Greek yogurt
Favorite coffee house: Cartel Coffee Lab (downtown Tucson)
Hobbies: stair mastering, collecting pens, reading/listening to books
Favorite zoo animal: primates
Annoying habit: I’ve been told my sneezes are a smidgeon loud
Language I wish I was fluent in: Besides Spanish and Norwegian, I would probably go with Flemish.
Bucket List Items: The Holy Land, New Orleans, Oregon Coast, New Zealand, Ireland, China, to name a few
Recently learned word: derpy, adj. awkwardly clumsy
Favorite Quote: “If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done.” – Wittgenstein
Sports teams: My hometown Chicago teams: Cubs, da Bears, Blackhawks, and Bulls. And also, UofA.
An interesting fact about me: Lived in the Middle East for three years.
What I like about Immanuel: We’re Christ-centered and welcoming, and we appreciate a variety of perspectives.
Rev. Dr. John C. Tittle
Pastor / Head of Staff
john@immanuelpc.org