Reverend Steven Renner, Pastor

office: 334.277.4213
email: Steven40203@yahoo.com
pronouns:  he/him/his

Welcome and thanks for checking out Messiah Lutheran All of us have all been in your place, searching for a place to worship, a place to ask questions without judgement, wondering if you would feel comfortable being who you are now. Let me answer yes! My husband and I were here in Alabama for a short stay and we came to Messiah and we were warmly welcomed as guests to worship and fellowship. Being new ourselves, what have we found? A community of faith that is fully inclusive. Are you a scientist? You’re welcome. Are you a person of color? Come on in without worry. Are you LGBTQIA? Welcome home. Not sure if you can maneuver easily in our building, No barriers are present here, we are one floor, have large print bulletins are incredibly open to people who are quiet or vocal, kids and adults who are as God has lovingly made them. To our knowledge we have not met an extraterrestrial in our community but when that happens – welcome, would you like some something to drink or eat? Martin Luther said, “It is a priesthood of ALL believers, so all are welcome. Not a believer? Come in and let us get to know each other so we can explore together!

About our pastor, Rev. Steven Renner, originally from Ohio and the youngest of nine children, spent over thirty years working in the performing arts as an administrator. Having felt a call to the ministry, at age 8 and then realizing he was gay at 10, he was not welcome to consider following his calling – by man’s opinion. This changed in 2009, and within a year or so, he married his husband and entered seminary. He spent a total of 11 years of lay and ordained ministry at Third Lutheran Church in Louisville Kentucky. After a lengthy search process, he was called to be the pastor of Messiah this
spring. He and Sean and their dog, Mist, look forward to meeting and getting to know you.