Pastor Matt Philaya

Pr. Matt Philaya is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota, and received his MDiv at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, in 2004. Following seminary, he served for two years on a multi-pastor staff at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, MN, in the Lilly Foundation funded Pastor in Residence Program. From there he served four years as Associate Pastor at First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls. Since 2010 he has served Salem Lutheran Church in Montevideo, MN.

Pr. Matt is active in the work of the SWMN Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in a variety of ways, currently serving as Lac Qui Parle Conference Secretary, and currently on the planning committee for the SWMN Synod Assembly. As a pastor he has a passion for church music and arts, church development, social justice, and technology in ministry. He prefers thinking and working 'outside the box', and enjoys opportunities for creativity and innovation as a way to work with people to live out their faith and share the gospel. 

He lives in Montevideo with his his wife and children.