Ely Roque Sagansay

Pastor Ely Roque Sagansay serves as a Church Planter and Missionary at First Filipino International Baptist Church in Russell, Kentucky. After years of ministry, he and his wife, Vemerlyn, followed the Lord's leading to Kentucky, where God placed a burden on their hearts for a small group of believers and eventually for a new Filipino and Asian focused work in Greenup County. Ely carries that same missionary heart into every service and every conversation, helping people see how God can take ordinary stories, hard seasons, and new beginnings, and use them for His glory.

Ely's role as church planter brings together preaching, personal discipleship, and community outreach. He helps the church family stay anchored in Scripture, prayer, and the Great Commission, while also encouraging them to serve the community around them with practical love. Whether he is sharing the gospel, encouraging a struggling believer, or praying with someone at the end of a long day, Ely points people to the faithfulness of God and reminds them that the work in Russell, Olive Hill, and Ashland belongs to the Lord.