Our Pastor
The Rev. Louis A. Florio, Jr. (or “Pastor Lou”) was called to serve at Messiah Lutheran Church and School by congregational vote on Reformation Sunday, 2007. He began his pastoral ministry on November 26, 2007, but Pastor Lou was officially ordained and installed as Messiah’s seventh pastor on Saturday, December 8, 2007. Pastor Lou is a former six year veteran of the City of Alexandria (Virginia) Police Department where he served primarily in midnight patrol, including as a field training officer and as part of their community policing efforts. Among his previous work experience, he served as a counselor at St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota. Pastor Lou has also served as a volunteer with the Ecumenical Community of Taizé in France and as a chaplain with Mary Washington Hospice in Fredericksburg, VA. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (BA, English) and concurrently earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary & PSCE and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University. Additional studies for ordination were completed at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. Currently, Pastor Lou’s volunteer outreach into the community includes worship leadership at Hanover Adult Center and serving as a law enforcement chaplain. His wife, Kristine, is employed as a program analyst with the United States Coast Guard. You may contact him at pastor@mlcas.org or by calling our church office.
Our Shared Ministry
The general ministry of the congregation is organized and administered through lay leadership. Our council is organized into three separate “classes” of lay leaders elected by the congregation for three year terms. One third of the council (“a class”) completes their terms in January of each year. In addition, a Mutual Ministry Team has been created to support our pastor and help discern the course for our shared ministry. Each class leaving council serves on the Mutual Ministry Team for a two year term.
You may contact any of our lay leadership through our office or as indicated below:
- President (president@mlcas.org) – Tripp Dillard (Class of 2012)
- Vice-President (vicepresident@mlcas.org) – Johnnie Collie (Class of 2012)
- Secretary (secretary@mlcas.org) – James Anderson (Class of 2013)
- Treasurer (treasurer@mlcas.org) – Paula Barwick (appointed yearly by council)
- Financial Secretary (via office@mlcas.org) – Steve Shaw (appointed yearly by council)
- Christian Education Team Liaison – Johnnie Collie (Class of 2012)
- Evangelism Team Liaison – James Anderson (Class of 2013)
- Fellowship Team Liaison – Chris Sondor (Class of 2012)
- Finance Team Liaison – Erna Jung (Class of 2011)
- Property Team Liaison – Jake Addair (Class of 2013)
- School Board Liaison – Tripp Dillard (Class of 2012)
- Social Ministry Team Liaison – Barbara Gaskill (Class of 2013)
- Stewardship Team Liaison – Chris Hopp (Class of 2011)
- Worship Team Liaison – Lois Schroeder (Class of 2011)
Other teams are created as needed. Such teams include an Internet Team (a subset of the Evangelism Team), Community Health and Safety Team (coordinated by our Parish Nurse and reporting to the executive members of our Church Council), the Messiah Lutheran School Board, and our Youth Team (part of the Christian Education Team).
Sunday Worship Leaders - schedule and readings
Messiah Lutheran SchoolSince September 1995, Messiah Lutheran School has provided trusted and loving preschool and after-school care for elementary aged youth in our community. Summer programs are also available. Please visit the “School” tab above to find out more, or contact our church office.
