Meet the pastor
A message from the pastor, Steve Murray

Pastor Murray At Scio we recognize that we are all on a spiritual journey, one in which the highest goal is to encounter God. We recognize that this goal is best achieved within a loving community, a community that is willing to share their lives together. This means that we want those attending to not only feel welcomed, we want them to know that they are loved by God and the people of Scio. It also means that we want to be open to each other's joys and pain. Finally, it means that we will be part of an ongoing conversation with each other and with the Scripture.

As a church, we are committed to loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strength. We are also committed to fulfilling the mission that Jesus Christ has given His church -- that of making disciples of all peoples.

Information about me

I am a husband and the father of three, serving as pastor of Scio. My wife, Ana, works for the University of Michigan and our children are Ian, Stuart, and Brenna. Ian is in college, Stuart is working with a church in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Brenna is making her way through high school.

I love hanging around with the excited and motivated Christian servants in our fellowship, sharing the love of God with each other and those outside the church.

Books I'm reading
  • The Church Comes Home, Robert and Julia Banks
  • The Church of Irresistable Influence, Robert Lewis
  • The Struggle of Prayer, Donald Bloesch
  • Emerging Worship, Dan Kimball
Music I'm listening to
  • Taizé
  • U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
  • Esther Drang, Goldenwest
  • Airline
  • Sigur Rós
On my wishlist
  • Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, N.T. Wright
  • The Lotus and the Cross, Ravi Zacharias
Blogs I visit

I've been here since 1995 when I was called to leave the church I pastored in Lakehurst, NJ, and come pastor Scio. My journey to Scio began when I, as a young child, recognized that I needed to seek forgiveness from God for my sins and that the only way for this to happen was to place my sins on Jesus. It was during my high school years that God redirected me from pursuing a career in engineering to giving my life in ministry. This path required studies which I completed at Nyack College, Alliance Theological Seminary and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. God has given me opportunities to serve him and his church in places as diverse as Connecticut, Texas (where I met my wife), North Carolina, New Jersey and now here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have ministered as a youth and senior pastor and taught on college and university campuses in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio in the areas of philosophy, ethics, and religion. I am currently part of the faculty of the University of Toledo where I teach a course on the religions of the world.

If you would like to contact me, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to send me an email or give me a call (734-662-7351).

Signed, Steve Murray