Messiah Lutheran Church

About us

Organized as a mission church of the American Lutheran Church in 1986, Messiah is centrally located to serve several southern New Hampshire communities. Members are primarily from Amherst, Milford, Merrimack, Mont Vernon, Hollis, Bedford and New Boston.

Our first sanctuary was completed with a Service of Dedication held November 17, 2002. Worship Services, Sunday School and church offices are now all located at 303 Hwy 101 in Amherst, NH (next door to the Amherst Garden Center).

We are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and also part of the New England Synod.

We worship weekly at 9:30 am. Communion is a regular part of our worship services and all who wish to come to the communion table are welcomed. We vary our worship service but work mainly from the hymnal Evangelical Lutheran Worship (aka the cranberry hymnal) and resources from All Creation Sings (the purple hymnal supplement). We have accompaniment that includes keyboard, guitars, drums, ukuleles and brass in various configurations on occasion. Children are welcome in worship and we have a nursery space available to children and parents as well.

We believe in a gracious God who loves us and the entire world. This God comes to us in Word (Bible) and Sacrament (Baptism and Holy Communion). We come together to INVITE, CARE, GROW and SHARE with people the goodness of our God and the saving message of the gospel. We strive to be an open and faithful community. You are welcome to come and be with us however you come: whatever your questions, whatever the condition of your beliefs, however you are dressed, whatever you have done or left undone. If you are looking for a place to belong you just may have found it here at Messiah.

Our Staff

Karl Hester

Pastor

Karl began serving as pastor here at Messiah in March of 2019. He and his wife Kim (who is also a pastor serving at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Nashua) relocated from Oregon. Karl and Kim were married on Martin Luther's birthday in 2012. They have a son named Kai who timeshares between the two congregations. Karl has two sons from a previous marriage as well, Caleb and Nick. Nick is married to Jordan and they have two daughters. Karl is an avid cinephile (lover of movies), enjoys word games and puzzles and has had a significant portion of his life populated by African Pygmy hedgehogs. Melanchthon (aka Mel) is the family dog (mix of labrador retriever, dogo argentino and golden retriever) often commutes to work and guards the pastor's office (from the couch, usually sleeping).

If you need to reach Karl you can call or text to 503-953-5164.

You can e-mail Karl at pastormessiahnh@gmail.com.

Jon Abrams

Music Director

Jon Abrams brings a lifelong love of music, education, and community to his role as Music Director at Messiah Lutheran Church. A graduate of Allegheny College with a degree in Music and a minor in History, Jon spent nearly twenty years as a music educator, sharing his enthusiasm for music with generations of students and helping young people discover their own musical abilities.

In addition to his work at Messiah, Jon is an active pianist, keyboardist, composer, and musical director. He performs regularly throughout New England with professional ensembles and continues to teach private music lessons, working with students of various ages and abilities. He has written music for a variety of settings, including original compositions for worship, and collaborates with his uncle, playwright Jack Neary, composing music for original theatrical productions. His musical interests span everything from traditional hymns and classical music to contemporary worship, musical theater, jazz, and popular music.

Jon is also pursuing a new professional chapter in addiction counseling, completing coursework and training toward licensure as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). Drawing on his years in education and his belief in the importance of compassion, dignity, and human connection, he hopes to bring the same spirit of encouragement to this work that has guided his career in music and teaching.

Family is especially important to Jon, and one of his greatest joys is spending time with his young nephew, Carter, who is becoming a familiar face at Messiah. Jon is particularly passionate about making church a welcoming place for children and families, and about creating a musical environment in which everyone feels invited to participate.

Whether at the piano, in the classroom, or working with people in recovery, Jon believes that music and meaningful human connection have the power to bring people together, offer hope, and enrich our lives.