Pastor Ryan McDermott was born in Los Angeles, CA. He went to Lutheran schools from 1^st grade through seminary. He graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN with a BA in theology and world languages. Then he went to Concordia Theological Seminary, where he received a Master of Divinity. He served his vicarage (pastoral internship) in Omaha, NE at Bethany, St. Paul’s, and Bethlehem Deaf Lutheran Churches. After graduating from seminary, his first Call into the Ministry was to St. Peter Lutheran Church in Elma, IA. While in Iowa, he also served as a vacancy pastor for the Deaf in Waterloo and Charles City. Pastor Ryan and his family left Iowa to become missionaries with the LCMS Office of International Mission, and they served in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Togo (West Africa). In Africa, Pastor Ryan helped with deaf ministries in Ghana, and then taught in the seminary in Togo. His work was to help prepare men to become pastors – teaching them how to work with people with disabilities and how to set up deaf ministries. In November 2019, Pastor Ryan became the pastor of Our Savior Deaf Lutheran Church in Madison, and he was officially installed on February 2, 2020.

Pastor Ryan and his wife Emily have four children – Rhys, Eva, Joshua, and Kaj. He is currently studying for a PhD in Practical Theology, with a focus on Lutheran preaching in Africa. In his spare time, he enjoys board games, reading, geocaching, hiking, and food and drink.