Staff
Senior Pastor
Pastor Kathy Vitalis Hoffman
khoffman@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 202
Pastor Kathy began her ministry here at Zion Lutheran Church in August 2007.
Pastor Kathy, daughter of a Lutheran pastor, was born in Montana and grew up in
Minneapolis and North Dakota. She was ordained with a Master of Divinity in 1988
and completed her Doctor of Ministry in 2008. She has served as an Associate Pastor
at Lutheran churches in Fargo North Dakota and Spicer Minnesota, and as interim
Senior Pastor at St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg. She and her husband Mark
live in Middletown with their two daughters, Sarah and Amy.
Pastor Kathy enjoys outreach preaching and seeks to engage people in different
places of their faith journey. She has a heart for evangelism and outreach that
individuals may experience the gospel in innovative ways.
Pastor Kathy is normally in the
church office on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and by appointment.
If you wish to stop by to see her it is probably helpful to call first
as, from time to time, she may be called away during these periods by unexpected
pastoral emergencies or meetings.
Assistant to the Pastor
Reverend Dr. W. Phillip Fogarty
pfogarty@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 208
Pastor Fogarty was ordained in 1964. He graduated from the University of Maryland and
has three degrees from Gettysburg Seminary. He has served parishes in Michigan and Maryland.
He retired in 2002 and has since served three parishes as an interim pastor.
He married Donna Anderson in 1960 and is still happy about it!
Assistant to the Pastor
Pastor Cris Frigm
cfrigm@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 209
Pastor Cris graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg on May 14, 2010. Following his graduation, he was ordained and installed as a Pastor at Zion on May 16th, 2010. Pastor Cris had been serving at Zion as a Vicar, from June 2008 to May 2010, while attending Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. As an undergraduate, he studied at Gettysburg College with a double major in Theatre Arts and History. Pastor Cris has worked as a youth minister in Chambersburg, and Gettysburg, PA. He also worked as a counselor with troubled children in the greater Gettysburg area. He has been commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserves and is finishing his training as a Chaplain Candidate. He will be serving in the Navy Reserves while doing full-time ministry at Zion. His most meaningful work was staying home with his two kids, for over seven years. Pastor Cris and his wife, Laurel, live in Middletown with their two children, son Cole and daughter, Sydney. Pastor Cris hopes to bring his passion for children, youth, and outdoor ministry to his work at Zion and in the Middletown community.
Gayla Magnus
gmagnus@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 201
Gayla began work in April 2004 during a long period of transition for Zion. Prior to Zion, Gayla served as the
Parish Administrator at Evangelical Lutheran Church-Frederick. She attended FCC, is originally from
Buckeystown in southern Frederick County but also called Jacksonville, Florida home for 5 years.
Gayla is married to Ken Stockman, a native of Middletown.
Communications Assistant
Dorothy Moler
communications@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 207
 Dorothy started in March 2010 as Zion’s Communications Assistant.
She grew up in Des Moines, Washington and moved to Maryland in 1985. She lives in
Jefferson with her husband, Jim, and their two sons Joey and Aaron. They have been members at Zion for
about six years, where they’ve been involved in the choirs and other music activities.
Dorothy received her undergraduate degree from Central Washington University and did some graduate
work at Hood College. Over the last 15 years she has worked in Frederick County at
Families Plus and Child Care Choices/Frederick Co. Mental Health Association. In her spare time she
enjoys sewing, quilting and crocheting. Dorothy is excited about the opportunity to be chosen has
communications assistant within Zion and especially with the Middletown community. She hopes to help
strengthen connections with fellow Middletown Valley churches.
Treasurer
Margaret Glessner
treasurer@zionmiddletown.org
Margaret was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in western Pennsylvania. She graduated from Grove City College with a
degree in accounting and moved to Laurel Maryland and began work at Ryland Mortgage Company in Columbia, as an accountant
and financial analyst. She received her MBA from Loyola (Baltimore) in 1992. She and her husband Gary moved to
Myersville in 1992 and have been members of Zion since then. They have three school-age children, Josh, Matt,
and Rachel.
Children, Youth and Family Ministries Director
Ginger Trautman
gtrautman@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 203
 Ginger was hired in May 2008 as the Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries. Ginger and her husband
Derrick have two children, Savannah and Miranda, who attend Valley Elementary School in Jefferson. Although Ginger
and Derrick have lived in 3 different states in the past 10 years Ginger calls Maryland home and is happy to be back.
Ginger grew up in Calvert County, Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay. She received her Bachelor of Arts in
Communications from Western Maryland College (now William McDaniel College) in Westminster, Maryland.
She has worked in many areas of Human Resources and loves working with people.
Most recently, Ginger came from Ohio where she worked as the Director of Family Ministries at Emmanuel
Lutheran in Salem. In her new position she hopes to help fulfill the
mission of youth and family at Zion in such ways as to aid the faith formation of our young people and their
families in order to equip them to take the Good News into their communities.
Director of Worship and Music
John Seachrist
ptownkid1@comcast.net
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 205 or (301) 898-2522 (home)
John has served as organist and Director of Music for the past 47 years in the
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC areas. At the present time,
he is the Director of Music here at Zion and is the organist
for the Wednesday evenings services at the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Rockville, MD.
In addition he is the accompanist for One God, One Voice, a vocal group located in the Frederick
County area. He has had the opportunity to perform on various grand organs in a number of
cathedrals and churches, here and abroad.
John started taking organ lessons at the age of 15. He studied organ under Norman Lindsey,
Alexander McCurdy and George Markey and is a graduate of the Guilmant Organ School in New York City, NY.
Director of Handbell Choir
Arvella Lutz
Director of Children’s Choir
Dana Lichtenberger
sanctuarymuch@msn.com
Director of Liturgical Dancers
Dee Buchanan
Dee was born and raised in Middletown, and has been a member of Zion for her entire life.
In 1991 Dee married her childhood sweetheart, Ric Buchanan.
They have two school age children, Abby and Sam. Dee is the owner and Artistic Director
of the Dee Buchanan Studio of Dance. She is a certified teacher and coach of the
Cecchetti Method of Ballet Training and the member of the East Coast branch of the
Cecchetti organization. She is a member of Chapter 17 of Dance Masters of America,
having taken her certification examinations in Tap, Ballet, and Jazz. Dee graduated
with honors from Hood College in 1990, and it was during that time that she began her
study in liturgical dance. She returned to Hood from 1991-1994 to direct its dance
program, while also teaching health classes at Frederick Community College.
Dee directs two worship dance groups, one here at Zion Lutheran, and another that
is an inter-faith group comprised of students of all ages from the studio.
In addition to her work at the studio, Dee works in several capacities at Middletown High School.
She has choreographed the spring musical for the past ten years, she is the coach of the MHS Winter
Dance Team, and she is the Dance Line Instructor for the MHS Marching Knights.
Dee’s worship dancers have sponsored a number of benefits for the Alzheimer’s
Association and local Middletown charities. Additionally, the dancers perform regularly at nursing homes,
and in 2006 were the guest performers at an annual Memorial Service for Maryland’s Organ Donors.
These liturgical dancers also share in worship services at a variety of local churches, and have
performed at many concerts and fundraising events at those churches.
Director of Youth Music
Cyndy Zolfo
cdz6@comcast.net
 Cyndy Zolfo grew up in rural central Illinois, the only girl in a family with five brothers.
A lifelong Lutheran, all members of the family were musical, and living across the street from
American Lutheran in Rantoul afforded many opportunities to play and sing every time the church
doors were open. Cyndy attended Bradley University as Social Sciences major, where she met husband
Dave. She completed her degree at Eastern Michigan University in 1982. They are the parents of
four children. Matt, Amanda, Laura, and Eliza. The Zolfo family has relocated a number of times
in Dave’s tenure with Bechtel. In 1988 the family relocated to Houston, Texas, where Cyndy
served as Director of Children’s Music Ministry at Messiah Lutheran from 1991 to 2002.
Cyndy began substitute teaching for Cypress Fairbanks ISD in 1998, continues to concentrate
her efforts at Middletown Middle and High School, and is a passionate supporter and advocate
of music education. A member of Chorister’s Guild since 1992, Cyndy also has attended
workshops for Chorister’s Guild Midwinter Conference, the Virginia Music Educators Association,
and MENC’s Midwest Conference. Recently joining the staff of Zion as music director for the
Zion Young Musicians, Cyndy finds great reward in encouraging and coordinating the musical offerings
of Zion’s Middle and High school students.
Financial Secretary
Deborah Reichelt
financialsecretary@zionmiddletown.org
(301) 371-6500 Ext. 207
 Deborah started in February 2010 as Financial Secretary. She has lived in Middletown for the
last 7 years with her husband Eric, and two children Brittany and Eric Jr. She was born and raised
in The Bronx, New York and moved to Long Island after she was married. Deborah has worked in the
banking business for 15 years at various positions of increasing responsibility including Assistant
Vice President for Chemical Bank. Since moving to Middletown, and has held positions of Treasurer
and Vice President for the Middletown Elementary and Middle School PTA. She is currently the Treasurer
for the Middletown High School PTA. In addition to her PTA positions, she is active in the Girl Scouts
where she serves as the Service Unit Manager for over 40 troops with over 400 girls as well as being
a Girl Scout Troop leader for 10 Senior Scouts. Deborah’s husband works for the United States Nuclear
Regulatory Commission. Their children are very active in music and sports.
Pastor Emeritus
The Rev. Donald L. Turley
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