Pastor Stan Steele, Interim Senior Pastor

As Interim Senior Pastor, Pastor Stan is here to serve as Pastor along with Pastor Carolyn so please feel free to reach out with any need you have or just to talk about life and faith. His cell phone is always on, and he invites you to call when you need pastoral assistance or just would like to discuss a concern. He is looking forward to knowing you better and continuing our faith journey together.

Pastor Stan is a native of South Carolina specifically Columbia, the state capital. He attended and graduated from the University of South Carolina (Go Gamecocks!!) with a major in International Relations. He then attended and graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia having served for 15 months two international congregations in Cairo, Egypt. He then served a congregation in Harlem in New York City followed by serving two different churches in New Jersey. He was then offered a position with Lutheran Social Services of New Jersey serving as Vice President of Housing and Community Development. After this Pastor Stan joined the cabinet of the Mayor of Trenton, NJ as Director of Housing and Economic Development. He then joined Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries as Senior Vice President of Housing and Community Development. After serving a faith based non-profit in Newark, NJ and on the Eastern Shore Pastor Stan accepted a call to St. Mark Lutheran church in Hagerstown. After eleven years he accepted a call to serve as Pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church outside of Philadelphia before coming to Salem. Pastor Stan three adult children and two adorable granddaughters with his wife Pastor Stephanie Steele who is the stated supply Pastor at a church in Westminster County.

He is inspired by the strength and breath of ministries this congregation offers to the community and to one another. There is a vibrancy and joy about this faith community that is infectious and inspiring. He looks forward to meeting each of you and becoming acquainted during this transitional time.

Pastor Stan would also like to state that while this is a somewhat new and anxious time for the congregation it is also a time to give thanks for the pastoral leadership of Pastor Dave and Pastor Ed and look with confidence to the new Pastor who will faithfully lead Salem with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This same Holy Spirit is with you as well and will guide you through this journey with peace and assurance.

Pastor Carolyn Lawrence is Salem’s Associate Pastor.  Previously, she served as our interim Assistant Pastor. She grew up in the ELCA in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She is a recent graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and also graduated from the University of Michigan. Carolyn was ordained by the Delaware-Maryland Synod at Salem in September 2022.  Pastor Carolyn focuses especially on Salem’s confirmation and youth group program. Pastor Carolyn lives in Catonsville with her spouse Hyunmin and their three cats.

Pastor Emeritus Ed Whetstone served as Salem’s pastor from 1977 to 2010.  In recognition of his service to Salem, the Church Council voted to name him  Pastor Emeritus upon his retirement in June 2010.  After early years in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, he attended Gettysburg College and the Lutheran seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained in 1971. He and his wife Vicky are parents of two grown children and proud grandparents of two grandsons in St. Paul. Since youth his most cherished bible passage is Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and love kindness and walk humbly with your God?”

Mary Miller has been Salem’s Director of Music and Organist since 2001.  Previously, she held the same positions at Mt. Hebron Presbyterian Church in Ellicott City.  She comes from a musical family where the piano and organ were played constantly.  Following in her mother’s and brother’s footsteps, she started piano lessons as a child.  In 1989 she began studying piano at the Peabody Preparatory under the direction of Miss Beth Jovich and then at the Conservatory under the direction of Mr. James Warthen.  Her organ studies have been under the direction of Michael Britt.  She has earned a Certification in Church Music from Colby College in Maine. Mary plays for all Salem’s worship services, as well as directing our music program and three of our five choirs at Salem.

Jeff Tsai became Salem’s Office Manager in January 2024.  Jeff is pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry from St. Mary’s Ecumenical institute in Baltimore with a thesis emphasis on Child Protection Policies. He has a masters from Towson University in Experimental Psychology and another from United Lutheran Seminary with a focus on Biblical Studies. His Lutheran faith solidified while an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he became active in Campus Ministry and was baptized. Being a man of many interests, he majored in Psychology, Anthropology, and Economics. Jeff has been a Maryland resident for most of his life and is an active disciple of the Church of the Holy Apostles and Saint Stephen in Arbutus. You probably won’t see Jeff much on Sundays, but welcome him in the office during office hours.

Sid Meier is Salem’s Director of Saturday Music.  He has served as the Director of Contemporary Music at Faith Lutheran Church in Cockeysville for over ten years.  Sid enjoys singing with the worship team and leading on keyboard or guitar. During the COVID pandemic, Sid has worked with the Salem-Faith Virtual Choir to record, mix, and create music virtual choir videos for our joint online worship services.  He also enjoys reading, technology, golf, and designing computer strategy games.

Joey Morgan is Salem’s Worship Technology Manager and Sexton.  He is responsible for live streaming the Saturday evening and Sunday 11:00 a.m. worship services and selected other services, weddings, and funerals.  He also video-records the Fourth Monday Bible Study and other events for uploading to YouTube.