About Us

About Us

Hope Lutheran is a member of the LCMS, Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Welcome! We pray that as you worship, your heart will be opened to hear the Good News about the lifesaving sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus, we have comfort and hope in a world that is filled with troubles and hardships. We pray that you will receive the peace and joy that comes only from Jesus.

About Our Pastor

Pastor Rod Morrison was born in Lansing, Michigan. He has had a very blessed and adventurous life. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy (1986-1991) after finishing college and served onboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, CVN 70. Once, Rod even landed by airplane on the ship and has been all over the world. He’s visited places like Africa, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. During that time, he and his family, BJ and Shawn, lived in Alameda, CA, where Shawn was born.

The family moved to Lansing, Michigan, where Rod worked for his father-in-law’s business, the R. C. Hahn Co., (1991 – 2002). He did repair work and sold their products. After the family business closed, Rod went to work in a machine shop, Emtron Gauge Co., in Wixom, Michigan, (2002-2003), where he worked with lathes and machine mills, making various gages and close-tolerance measuring instruments.

Rod began his theological training at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 2003 and has continued his studies ever since. He served as Vicar of Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church & School in St. Joseph, Michigan during the summer of 2006 under the supervision of Rev. Thomas Batsky. He served as Vicar of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church & School in Stevensville, Michigan from the fall of 2006 to the fall of 2007 under the supervision of Rev. Dr. Philip Quardokus. He was ordained on March 30, 2008 at Hope Ev. Lutheran Church in St. Helen, Michigan. Rod loves to serve the community and work with all kinds of people. In 2009, he was certified as a Chaplain to law enforcement and serves the St. Helen Public Safety Office in Richfield Township, Michigan.

An avid outdoorsman, Rod enjoys bow hunting and fishing. He also loves to ride the trails in his rail-type dune buggy and make things with his hands. He has been blessed with a wonderful family who care for and support him in all he does. BJ and Shawn have been a constant inspiration during his seminary training and ministry at Hope. Since 2009, Rod has served as Pastoral advisor for the Lutheran Layman’s League for the Michigan District and Pastoral advisor for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League in the Timberline Zone. He feels truly blessed to be able to serve in all these various capacities and looks forward to many years of learning, growing and serving God and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.