Lighthouse Christian Church Announces
New Senior Pastor

The Reverend Susan (Tardie) Salameh has stepped into the position of Senior Pastor at Lighthouse Christian Church in Montpelier. Pastor Sue previously served Lighthouse as Elder and Associate Pastor. The outgoing minister, Reverend David Foxworth, led the church since its founding in 1991, and was honored for his service at Pastor Sue’s installation ceremony on December 17, 2006.

Pastor Sue, a native of South Barre, credits her strong Christian upbringing in the Catholic Church with leading her to a radical personal conversion as a youth and an interest in missions. “After my conversion, I felt the call of God,” she commented from her Beckley Hill home where she lives with her three teenage children, Rebecca, Jessica and Dan. “I knew I had to go to the nations.”

That desire was fulfilled in the years following her 1976 graduation from Williamstown High School. After serving on staff with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in the US for one year, Pastor Sue moved to their regional base in Cypress. From there she worked in Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece for three and a half years. Subsequently, she returned to the US to study at Elim Bible Institute (Lima, NY) then returned to the Middle East. She settled in Jordan to help establish an Arab Baptist Church, and served its congregation for ten years. She said of that time, “I had such a passion for the Arab people. I bonded to the culture and they became my people.” Pastor Sue moved back to Vermont in 1998, was credentialed for ministry through Maranatha Ministerial Fellowship (Bishop Richard Callahan, Williston, VT), and started her service at Lighthouse Christian Church.

Pastor Sue is much loved by her friends, co-workers, and members of Lighthouse Christian Church. She has a broad, inviting smile and a contagious love for the Lord. One Lighthouse member describes her this way: “Pastor Sue radiates the love of Jesus. She is very approachable, and her enthusiasm inspires us to grow in all that God has gifted us.”

Lighthouse Christian Church is a non-denominational, Charismatic congregation that has served the Montpelier community for fifteen years. It meets Sundays, 10 am at 4583 US Route 2 in East Montpelier, formerly "Blueberry Hill" (map it).