Q&A with Pastor Andy

Pastor Andy joined the ELC team in 2025. 

What made you want to become a pastor?

All my life, I have felt called to help others. I never really put an occupational label on it; I simply tried to live into it every day. At first, I thought that I could fulfill this calling in the medical field, helping others in physical or mental healing. Yet, through many conversations and much discernment, I began to realize that my calling to help others is directly connected to the love of God that surrounds us all. I experienced the help of God’s love while serving in outdoor ministry, among my peers in campus ministry, and in the life of the faith communities that nurtured and supported me along my discernment journey. I wanted to become a pastor so that I could help others by sharing the love of God through word and deed within the life of Christ’s church, and I remind myself of this calling every day.  

What excites you most about serving this church community?

Emmanuel Lutheran Church is a very active community! There are so many incredible ministries happening in, with, and around our Emmanuel community, and so many amazing ways in which the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding our service and fellowship together. It excites me to have the opportunity to continue supporting these vibrant ministries!

Did you grow up in a religious setting?

I have always felt at home in the church. Growing up, my family attended St. Mark Lutheran Church in Yorktown, Virginia, where I was baptized, confirmed, and ordained. I enjoyed playing handbells, serving as an acolyte, lector, and communion assistant, participating in our church youth group, serving on our church council, attending Virginia Synod youth events, and serving a year as the Youth Representative on the Virginia Synod Council. In college, I was an active member of The Well: Lutheran Campus Ministry at Virginia Tech, and I spent many summers working in outdoor ministry at Caroline Furnace Camp and Retreat.

What are some of your favorite Bible passages?

My favorite Bible passages change depending on the season or life milestone, but two Bible verses that continue to shape and guide me include Psalm 139:14-15 and John 15:12-14.

Psalm 139:14-15 “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” (NRSVue)

John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (NRSVue)

We are each a piece of God’s Creation, and yet we are all uniquely, fearfully, and wonderfully made. God knows and loves each of us, and because God loves each of us, Christ calls us to love one another. When we genuinely love one another as God first loved us, then we can begin to see, respect, and accept that all people are each uniquely, fearfully, and wonderfully made by God, who knows them as personally as God knows us.

Where did you grow up and where did you study?

I grew up in Yorktown, Virginia. After graduating from Tabb High School, I attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, along with a minor in Religion, in May of 2021. In August 2021, I began my studies at United Lutheran Seminary, where I lived in Gettysburg, PA. In May 2025, I received my Master of Divinity degree, with concentrations in Lutheran Studies, Town and Country Church Ministry, and Congregational Faith Formation.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy spending my free time adventuring and exploring with my spouse, Caroline, and our sweet, adopted poodle mix, Goldie! We especially enjoy taking daily walks on the Cape Henry Trail!

Tell us something fun or unexpected about you (hobby, interest, talent).

I LOVE coffee. I enjoy collecting coffee brewing methods and gadgets, and my current favorites are Chemex and espresso brewing. Whenever I travel, I enjoy learning about the local coffee history and practices, and I’m always open to trying anything new related to coffee.

What's your favorite place to visit in Virginia Beach?

I love visiting the beach! I enjoy walking along the shoreline near First Landing State Park, especially around sunset time!

What would you tell someone who just moved to Virginia Beach looking to come to Emmanuel Lutheran Church?

Be ready to joyfully worship God, love all people, and serve the world in Jesus Christ’s name! Emmanuel Lutheran Church is a welcoming, energetic, diverse, and faithfully generous community, actively discerning the many ways in which God is calling our community of faith.

Where do you get your Sunday worship inspiration from?

My Sunday worship inspiration comes from many sources, but I always start in prayer, turning to God for guidance. I find inspiration in Emmanuel’s 12:00 PM Wednesday Zoom Lectionary Bible Study, which studies the worship texts for the upcoming Sunday. I also find inspiration from Emmanuel’s Worship and Music team, who work hard together to create meaningful and spiritual worship experiences at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Additionally, I use Bible commentaries to gain a deeper understanding of the historical, social, and cultural contexts of scripture. (If you are interested in joining Wednesday Bible Study, the Worship and Music team, or borrowing some Bible commentaries, please let me know!)

What advice would you give someone new to faith?

Always remember that faith is trusting in God’s love. God and love are inseparable, for God is love, and I believe that God is at the heart of our own capacity to show love and to be loved. Faith isn’t a measure of how much we know or how many Bible verses we can quote. Faith is trusting in God’s love; Jesus Christ, God’s Son, reminds us that God’s love is for all, forever.

If someone has a concern or question about their faith, what is the best way to address it with the staff? 

If you have questions or concerns about your faith, please know that I am here for you. I may not have all the answers to your questions, but I am here to pray with you, to ponder questions with you, and to abide with you.  

To reach me with questions or concerns, you fill out a Connect Card during worship and place it in the offering plate, or if you contact the church office or me via phone or email.

What do you believe is most important in building a strong church community?

I believe that the most important part of building a strong church community is rooted in knowing who we are, and knowing whose we are.

Knowing who we are points us to our community identity: who are the people of all ages gathered here, what is our collective mission, and what do we believe together.

Knowing whose we are reminds us of our greater calling as followers of Christ. We are all God’s children, called to love and serve one another and the world.

What’s one message you want people to take away from your preaching?

If there is one gospel truth that I hope people take away from my preaching, I hope they hear this: “God loves you, this day and always.” For God’s loving grace has already saved us; we are merely proclaimers of the good news of what God has already done for the world and all of Creation.

Reminder: We meet every Sunday at 9:30 AM for worship. If you perfer to worship from home, our services are streamed on Facebook and on YouTube each Sunday morning. Hope to see you soon!