Worship Staff

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Interim Pastor
 

Pastor Rooney is a retired Lutheran clergy having served parishes in central Pennsylvania, with 10 additional years in a Roman Catholic religious order. He has served on numerous committees in his Synods and, in his retirement, has served as interim pastor in a number of congregations in the Lower Susquehanna Synod and the North Carolina Synod - ELCA.

He has served in the human services field including as President and CEO of a large non-profit entity serving the mentally ill and the developmentally disabled.

He served 5 years in full time Ecumenical ministry.     

Pastor Rooney is a native of England and completed his undergraduate studies at St. Mary’s College, London; studied philosophy in America; has a Master’s degree in Counseling from Shippensburg University and completed his Lutheran studies at Gettysburg Seminary. He has been married to Sally for 44 years and they have two grown children and three grandchildren.

Director of Music

Born and raised in Liberty, NC, Matt Swaim is a life-long Lutheran. After studying piano as early as the age of six under an inspirational, self-taught local organist and singing in the Junior and Senior choirs at Grace Lutheran Church for many years, Matt was hired to accompany the 8:30 worship service in March of 2013 (and now accompanies the combined 10:00am worship service and all special services). As Director of Music, he seeks to integrate Contemporary Christian music and worship with the traditional favorites and liturgy that make the Lutheran church great. Matt holds two degrees in Plant Science from NC State University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UNCG and currently works in purchasing. He makes his home with three cats (all of whom play the piano). 

Parish Administrator and Bookkeeper

A member of Mebane Presbyterian Church since 2009, Lenise grew up Lutheran and is always happy to revisit the full liturgy. She lives with her husband, three (teenaged to almost-grown-and-flown) sons, and three cats in a 100-yr-old house in Mebane and has a long and varied career, ranging from homeschool educator to online parrot supply store manager to health services analyst. Lenise sings in her church choir and loves the old hymns. She graduated from Washington and Lee University with a double major in Economics and German, which studies have figured into her homeschool educator role besides limited real-life application (the latter consisting mostly of rolling her eyes in despair).