Our Staff

Pastor Otto - Rev. Craig Otto has served at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit since August of 2004.  He grew up in the Kansas City North area and attended Oak Park High School.  He received a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri--Columbia (1983-87), then worked four years at Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis (1987-1991) as an Advertising Copywriter and Assistant Product Manager.  He studied at Concordia Seminary--St. Louis (1991-95), completing his Master of Divinity degree.  He served as field worker at Peace Lutheran Church in Lemay, MO (1991-93), as Vicar at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, MO (1993-94), then was called as Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, Missouri (Associate 1995-99, Senior 1999-2004).  He was called to serve as Pastor at St. Matthew in Lee's Summit and installed here in July, 2004.  Craig and his wife Becky have two grown children, Emma and Vincent.

"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile," Romans 1:16.

You may email Pastor Otto at: otto@gracefaithlove.org

Pastor Andrews - Rev. Steve Andrews, Jr. was installed November 19, 2017. He previously served for four years as the Associate Pastor of Family Ministry at St. John's Lutheran Church in Stewartville, Minnesota. He graduated from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska in 2009 with a Bachelor's degree in History.  He graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri in 2013.  Pastor's family includes his wife, Hannah, and their daughters, Talia, Eliana, Eden, and Chara.

Pastor Andrews enjoys time with his family.  He also enjoys woodworking, bicycling, running, disc golfing, and Blues' hockey.  He admits to being a nerd in several ways, as he both enjoys movies and board games, and actually likes numbers and spreadsheets.  One of his favorite parts of pastoral ministry is that he regularly gets to bring the gifts of God to His children.

His confirmation verse is Psalm 23:1 - "Yahweh is my Shepherd; I shall not want."

You may email Pastor Andrews at: andrews@gracefaithlove.org

Deaconess Sarah Longmire -  Deaconess Sarah was born in Napoleon, Ohio, the daughter of two Lutheran school teachers, Duane and Kari Longmire.  She is the oldest of three children.  Her brother Ben (married to Natalie) lives in Chippewa Falls, WI and has 3 children; her brother Aaron (married to Hannah) lives in Pagosa Springs, CO, and have one child.  She graduated high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2004; earned degrees in Lutheran Early Childhood Education and Theology & Deaconess Ministries from Concordia University - Chicago (2008); and earned her Master’s in Educational Administration from Concordia University - Nebraska (2021).

She has served in the mission field (Bangkok, Thailand), several classrooms (Oakmont, PA and Traverse City, MI), and as a preschool director (Chesterfield, MO).  In each of these settings, she has also been able to serve the church with her Deaconess education and training.  From 2020-24 she served as President of the Concordia Deaconess Conference, a recognized service organization of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, to equip and encourage Deaconesses in their confessional and caring roles.  She serves as a Bible study editor for Higher Things, an LCMS organization that especially equips young people to live in Christ and grow in the knowledge of God's Word.

Sarah is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus with others.  She also enjoys exercising, reading, baking, and visiting new places.

You may email Deaconess Sarah at:  deaconess@gracefaithlove.org 

Office Administrator - Tamy Dotson

“Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” Rev. 2:10

You may email Tamy at: secretary@gracefaithlove.org