Pastor Jonathan Vitale has been our pastor since January 1, 2022. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Jonathan and his family moved back to Michigan in 2021 and began taking steps towards ministry in the United Methodist Church. As an ordained minister in another tradition for 20 years, Jonathan and his wife, Allison, have served churches across the midwest and have worked as missionaries in Asia. Jonathan is passionate about the local church and is excited to lead St. Matt’s in serving our community in Gault Village and across Ypsilanti. He is convinced that the Church is the hope of the world and that we, as a church, are called to be the faithful presence of Jesus in our community. Jonathan believes that everyone belongs at St. Matt’s—that all are worthy of love, dignity, and being included. He is also deeply committed to the care and well-being of those who call St. Matt’s home, emphasizing everyone’s role in loving one another as a church.
Jonathan is a self-proclaimed ‘Bible Nerd’ who enjoys traveling, food + drink, listening to vinyl records, songwriting, and playing guitar. His heart is to see the love and life of Christ embodied in St. Matt’s, that we would truly become what it means to love and serve our neighbor and our God.
Jonathan and Allison have been married for 21 years and have 3 children: Ezra, Ivy, and Simon. As a family they love the outdoors, all things Star Wars + Marvel + Lord of the Rings + Doctor Who, and spending time with their dog, Harry.
