Phone: (201) 898-2350
Luther Seminary: Master of Divinity
Luther College: Bachelor's degree, accounting and finance
Inspired by: Jesus' reply, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." -- Luke 17:20-21
Church council: Jyl Josephson | Tryphosa Kasukurthi | Gerry Bakirtjy | Charles Bergstresser | Yma Petrides
St. Matthew's is a congregation within the ELCA, which has headquarters in Chicago. This is from the ELCA website:
"This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here. We are the church that shares a living, daring confidence in God's grace. Liberated by our faith, we embrace you as a whole person — questions, complexities and all. Join us as we do God's work in Christ's name for the life of the world."
St. Matthew's is included in the New Jersey Synod, a grouping of ELCA congregations that share the mission and ministry of the Church in the New Jersey territory.
— "Synod" comes from Greek, meaning "walking together."
— The Synod has headquarters in Hamilton Township, N.J.
From the ELCA: We are a church that walks by faith, trusting God's promise in the gospel and knowing that we exist by and for the proclamation of this gospel word. We proclaim that Jesus Christ was crucified and raised from the dead for the life of the world.
As the apostle Paul wrote (Romans 1:16-17), and we echo in our Constitution (2.02), we are not ashamed of this gospel ministry because it is God's power for saving all people who trust the God who makes these promises.
"We are to fear and love God, so, that we do not despise preaching or God's word, but instead keep that word holy and gladly hear it and learn it." – Luther's Small Catechism
God's word, specifically God's promise in Jesus Christ, creates this liberated, confident and generous faith. God gives the Holy Spirit, who uses gospel proclamation — in preaching and sacraments, in forgiveness and in healing conversations — to create and sustain this faith. As a Lutheran church, we give central place to this gospel message in our ministry.
We understand to be Lutheran is to be ecumenical — committed to the oneness to which God calls the world in the saving gift of Jesus Christ, recognizing the brokenness of the church in history and the call of God to heal this disunity.
"Lutheranism 101," published in 2017.