Messiah United Methodist Church
Rev. Richard Baker - Pastor
I’d like to take this time to introduce myself to my church families. My name is Richard Baker and I was appointed as of July 1, 2018 to pastor the churches of Messiah UMC in Taneytown and Trinity UMC in Emmitsburg. I have already preached in both churches and feel the presence of God’s Spirit in both.
I am a second career pastor. For almost 30 years I owned a carpentry construction business building new homes in Carroll and Frederick County. I loved interacting with my clients and also the people that worked for me. After coming to know the Lord, I offered employment opportunities to those in recovery ministries. We hired recovering substance abusers, along with people completing prison sentences. God calls for us to look out for the lost and downtrodden and because of the wonderful mercy I was shown, I attempted to offer that mercy to others.
After returning to church and seeing God at work, I began to get involved in the mission ministries. I went to Costa Rica and worked on an Indian Reservation building a school and got a firsthand look at people living their faith as a natural extension of who they were and I wanted that in my life. Shortly afterwards, I heard God call me into ministry.
I have served in 3 pastoral settings, the most recent in Walkersville MD. I started serving in a 3 point Charge and then went on to a single station church, and recently I felt God calling me back to the smaller churches. I love a church where you are invited to be a part of many families’ lives. I love a church where everyone pitches in to help. I see real evidence of that in both churches.
I have been married for 36 years to the love of my life, Desiree. We have 3 adult children, Garrett, Elizabeth, and Emmett. Our son, Garrett, is married with 3 children of his own and they are the delight of my life.
I look forward to meeting all of you and joining together in the work God has called us to. I ask God’s blessings on each of you as we go on toward perfection in Christ. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Blessings,
Pastor Richard Baker
Marilyn Stonesifer - Sexton
Marilyn Stonesifer is a life-long resident of Carroll Count and member of the United Methodist Church. Marilyn can be found do many tasks around Messiah UMC from the weekly cleaning, to running the visual presentation during the weekly service, to organizing the many Red Cross Blood Donations sponsored by MUMC. In addition to serving as church sexton, Marilyn is a commissioned Stephan's Minister, where she lends her compassion and kindness to the needs of others.
Kristofer Roberson - Music Director
Kristofer Roberson is the organist and music director at Messiah UMC. Originally from Frederick, Kristofer grew up playing the piano and singing in the church choir. He attended Frederick Community College before graduating in 2002 from The Catholic University Rome School of Music. For the past two decades, Kristofer has been an educator with Frederick Co. Public Schools, first as an elementary music teacher and since 2010 as a middle school drama teacher and chorus director. Kristofer is a seminarian in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and attends United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg. He lives in Smithsburg with his wife and daughter.
If you are interested in sharing your music or artistic talents during worship, please contact Kristofer at kristofer.roberson@yahoo.com for more information.