Deer Park Pastor Opens County Legislature Session

Pastor Justin Lathrop of the in Deer Park opened the Suffolk County Legislature's general session May 8, offering an uplifting and non-denominational invocation

Suffolk County Legis. Lou D'Amaro (D-Huntington Station) invited Pastor Lathrop to represent his district before the Legislature and guests at the William H. Rogers Legislative Building in Hauppauge.

After receiving a bachelor's degree in religion and philosophy from Roanoke College and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Center in Philadelphia, Lathrop was accepted into an international internship that sent him to Slovakia to serve as a professor of Early Church History and Chaplain at a Lutheran High School.

Upon returning to the United States from Slovakia more than a decade ago, he completed an internship at the Deer Park Church leading up to his ordination.  Following his ordination, he served as Pastor at Lutheran Churches in Maryland and Virginia. Two years ago, he accepted a call as senior pastor of the Ascension Lutheran Church of Deer Park. 

“Pastor Lathrop is an outstanding and charismatic spiritual leader who spreads words of peace and cooperation that transcend all religions and beliefs,” D’Amaro said.  “I thank him for sharing his moving message with the Legislature.”