Pastors
Currently, we have three pastors on our staff. Dave Oravec is our Senior Pastor. He was called in 1990 and became Senior Pastor in 2000. He is a graduate of both the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and of Wesley Theological Seminary in DC.Pastor Barbara Bornemann, called to Evangelical as our part-time Visitation Pastor, has been part of the ELC staff since December 1997. Pastor Bert Lane has primary responsibility for guiding Evangelical's new campus in southern Frederick County.
For more information about our pastors, read their biographies posted below.
Pastor David G. Oravec became Senior Pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Church in February of 2000. He has served Evangelical since his graduation from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA in 1990. Pastor Oravec received his Doctor of Ministry dgree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC in 2000. He is a also a Commander (select) in the United States Naval Reserve serving in the Chaplain Corps, currently assigned to the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23. In 2004 he deployed with NMCB 23 to Ramadi, Iraq and returned to the pulpit at ELC in June of 2005. Pastor Oravec is the President of the Loats Foundation (serving needy youth in Frederick County) and is currently on the Board of Directors of Hospice of Frederick County. He is married to the former Ramona Boggess of Greenville, Kentucky and they have two daughters, Katie (14) and Carrie (11). Pastor Dave loves reading American history, golf, motorcycle riding, and the Washington Redskins.
I first came to this parish as an Interim Pastor in December 1997, then as a part-time Visitation Pastor in spring 1999 to accent the visitation ministry already blooming at ELC. The position grew out of the vision of the congregation to help supplement and expand the existing ministry to meet the needs of the growing church family. What a joy the visitation ministry has been for me. I visit parishioners in a variety of settings; in their homes, the hospital, at rest homes, and sometimes in the work place. Whatever the location, it is always truly been a privilege to hear each person share a chapter of their story and how God's love has touched their lives.
Pastor Bert Lane has primary responsibility for guiding Evangelical's new campus in southern Frederick County. He also oversees the entire church's evangelistic ministries: developing advertising programs, contacting worship visitors, co-leading New Members Classes, etc. He has served on ELC's pastoral staff since September 2002. Prior to the Fall of 2002, he served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church for 23 years. A graduate of Haverford College and Wesley Theological Seminary, he lives in Walkersville with his wife, Dayna. They have three sons: Christian, Stephen and William.
Jim Loeffler is Director of Music Ministry at Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Frederick, Maryland, a position he has held since July of 1997. At Evangelical, Jim oversees the entirety of Music Ministry, performs all organ duties, and directs 6 of the church's 7 musical ensembles. He came from a similar position at Trinity Lutheran, (LC-MS) Evansville, Indiana.