Our Staff & Leaders
Want to know a little bit more about our staff and leadership? We’d love to introduce ourselves to you.
Pastor Steve Miller
Pastor Steve is excited to serve God and minister to the people of Messiah Lutheran Church and the surrounding community. He's passionate about following Jesus and helping others find their place in God's greater story. Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Steve is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and he has served churches in Illinois, North Carolina, and Silver Spring, MD. He and his wife, Andrea, were married in August of 2012. They have two boys and a girl. In his spare time, Pastor Steve enjoys cooking, woodworking, and pretending that he is a runner.
Pastor Mike Okine
Born and raised in Ghana, Pastor Michael Okine served there at Lutheran Media Ministry. Later he and his family came to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. After completing his degree in communication in Houston, Pastor Okine was called to Messiah in 2006. In response to the question: “What’s the most important thing to know?” Pastor Mike says, “Jesus loves you! And don’t you ever forget that!”
Becky Gill,
Operations Manager
Although originally from Chicagoland, Becky is thrilled to have adopted St Louis as her home. She lives in Tower Grove East with her husband, three kids, two cats and dog. When she’s not trying to solve church problems, she enjoys running, gardening, fires in the fireplace and adventures with the kids.
Carlea Halverson,
ARK Site Director
Carlea has known many of the Ark scholars since EAGLE: Tower Grove East opened in 2016. She is thankful that she can continue building relationships with the families and students in her role as Program Director for Messiah's Ark. When she is not surrounded by elementary school students, you can find her singing with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, and spending time with her family (CJ and their son, James) around their neighborhood in Tower Grove East.
Laura Lee Bausell
Music Coordinator
Being a lifelong St. Louisian, Laura Lee and her husband, Eric, and their four children enjoy living and working, learning and playing in St. Louis City. Laura Lee has been serving in music ministry for 20+ years and enthusiastically serves as Music Coordinator at Messiah. One of her favorite things to do is to support and encourage musicians of all ages to use their gifts and abilities in sharing music; she is passionate about worshipping God together through all seasons in this community.
Messiah Leadership Team (MLT)
These amazing individuals meet regularly to oversee the work of our congregation. They serve in a variety of ways, encouraging our growth as followers of Jesus, challenging us to be his presence in our community, and providing space for us to share life together.