Bright sunshine beamed on the MOST Ministries Mission Center. Brats sizzled on grills and a bountiful spread of side dishes awaited friends of MOST Ministries gathered at a more casual version of the annual Ask Event on August 27. Midway through the afternoon, an energetic individual who had been circulating among the crowd was introduced: Martin Moro, new Executive Director of MOST Ministries. On Sunday, August 28, he was officially installed during morning worship at Open Arms Lutheran Church in Belleville, Michigan, where he has worshipped with family members for the past seven years. Pastor Larry Courson spoke enthusiastically about MOST Ministries in his sermon.
 

Marty, who resides in Flat Rock, Michigan, with his wife Audrey and youngest daughter Claire, brings a range of experience and a variety of gifts to his new position. With a degree in secondary education from Concordia Teachers’ College, Seward, Nebraska, he began his career at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, teaching math, physics, and computers to middle school and high school students for twenty-two years. Along the way, he developed skills in development that were put to use at Detroit Urban Lutheran School before he became Director of Development at Concordia University, Ann Arbor. His tenure there from 2009-2016 spanned the years before, during, and after CUAA’s merger with Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin. During that time, while MOST Ministries maintained its offices on the CUAA campus, Marty became acquainted with MOST through Carly Hatcher. After serving at CUAA, he worked in both development and administration for Lutheran Special Education Ministries for six years.
 

Meanwhile, he and Audrey (now retired from her nursing career) reared four children and now have seven grandchildren. Two daughters, Martina and Katie, live in Canton. Their son Erik lives with his family in Beavercreek, Ohio, near Dayton.
 

Acting on behalf of the search committee formed by the MOST board when Ruth Martin announced her retirement, Ray Zavada encouraged Marty to apply for the Executive Director position and recommended him to the board, convinced that MOST’s needs and Marty’s background were a good match. Marty affirms that he felt led by the Holy Spirit to take the helm of MOST Ministries. Having “a heart for the underserved”, he looks forward to applying his experience and skills in development and coaching to “maximize” the work of MOST through team-style leadership.
 

As he continues to become acquainted with the various facets of MOST Ministries and its staff, volunteers, and supporters, his immediate goal is to “put COVID-19 behind us.” Meanwhile, attendees at the Best Practices in Ministry—Heartland conference in Frankenmuth (September 18-20) and the Michigan District Pastors’ Conference in October will have opportunities to meet Marty in person. He also looks forward to representing MOST at Best Practices in Phoenix in February and the National LWML Convention in Milwaukee in June, 2023. Such events fit into his long-term vision of forming positive relationships and effective partnerships with other LCMS entities.
 

Among the many Scripture passages that have influenced Marty in life and work, he cites Ephesians 2:8-10 as one that stands out: saved by grace, not by our own works, we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
 

“We need to share God’s grace,” Marty says, “And He has already prepared the opportunities.” Welcome to MOST Ministries, Martin Moro!