Meet Michael & Emily
Hey there! 👋
We’re Michael and Emily. And even though we may look young, we’ve been together for a long time—since 2006! We’ve lived a lot of life in the last 20 years and have had the privilege of experiencing some incredible things together.
After getting married in 2012, we spent four years working on cruise ships. Michael was a musician, and Emily taught computer classes (yes, that’s a real thing!).
That season took us to every continent and introduced us to so many cultures, countries, and people who were nothing like us—and it was one of the best lessons God ever taught us: everyone, no matter their background, is someone God loves and made in His image. That truth has inspired us ever since. It's why we’re crazy passionate about reaching unchurched people and introducing them to Jesus.
We’re also pretty passionate about rock climbing, great TV shows (like The Office), and our dog, Amigo 🐶.
Church Planting Story
Even though we met as high schoolers in a youth group, neither of us expected church to be a big part of our future. Michael was skeptical. Emily was mostly in it for the social life.
But then we experienced churches that were different from the traditional ones we grew up with. We felt seen, welcomed, encouraged—and we actually left knowing what to do with what we heard. It was transformative.
The problem? The closest church like that was 45 minutes away. (That’s just how Long Island is.)
So, in 2020, we made a wild decision: we downsized to one car, cashed out our retirement, and swapped our three-bedroom house and two-car garage for a studio basement apartment—where our bed is literally next to the fridge. Why? Because we felt God leading us to plant a church on Long Island that would love and reach unchurched people.
And in October 2021, Local Church was born. What started as a dream has grown into a thriving community of hundreds of people. We still can’t believe it!
Our New Dream
It’s a strange thing to chase a dream for so long and then watch it actually come to life. It’s exhilarating—but there’s also this quiet moment where you think, “Okay… now what?”
That’s where you come in.
We’re convinced you’ve got greatness in you. Not just because of who you are, but because of whose you are. The Spirit of God lives in you, which means there is nothing God can’t do through you.
Whether you’re still dreaming of planting a church, getting ready to launch, or navigating the wild ride of leading one, we believe in you. You can do this. And we’d love to be in your corner however we can.
That’s our new dream: to help you pursue yours.
If you're passionate about reaching unchurched people through church planting, then we're here for it—and we're here for you!
Our Gift to You
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in start up funds for our church plant.
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