James Nhial Ruey was born December 5, 1970 in the village of Maiwut, Sudan.  The second of six children, James was working in the fields with his father when his village came into the cross fire between the Sudanese Army and Rebel forces.  He escaped by a three day journey across the border into Ethiopia where he was reunited with his family except for his father who had been killed in the crossfire. 

From age 10, James lived in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya where he attended high school.  In 1993, he was granted refugee status through a special United Nations relocation program which brought him and nearly 2,000 others to DesMoines, Iowa.  In 2001, James relocated to Mankato with his family and two other families.  

In February of 2001, James Ruey and Peter Jiech came to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Mankato seeking a place to worship in their native language.  Soon after, James was named a Deacon of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.  In 2003, James was enrolled in the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri with the assistance of Rev. Charles Ortloff of Our Savior’s.  Upon enrollment, his designation was changed to Vicar and Rev. Dennis Ahl was appointed as his theological mentor. 

As a Vicar, James Ruey was under the supervision of  Pastor Gene Glade, vacancy Pastor at Our Savior’s, and Pastor Steve Kosberg of Hosanna, LCMS in Mankato.  Pastor Paul Lauer arrived at Our Savior’s in September of 2005 and took on the role of Supervisor with Pastor Dennis Ahl continuing as his Mentor. 

James completed the EIIT program in the Spring of 2008 and continued to service the Nuer-speaking Sudanese community in Mankato as their Candidate for the Holy Ministry.  After the Sudanese Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church of Southern Minnesota in Mankato was established as a member congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in January of 2009, they immediately moved to Call Candidate Ruey to be their first Pastor.

On Sunday, March 15, 2009, Rev. James Ruey was ordained to the Office of the Holy Ministry and Installed as the first Pastor of the Sudanese Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church of Southern Minnesota based in Mankato.

James is married to Mary Chamdak.  They have six children and reside in Mankato.