Pastor John Palka, Ph.D.

I consider it an honor to serve the church and neighborhoods of Venice and I believe that is because God shaped and formed me as a missionary. Early on in my career, my wife, Melissa, and I served as missionaries in the West African country of Togo. Those ten years of serving overseas were deeply challenging and fulfilling. Leading a church in Venice is equally challenging and fulfilling.



I invite you to join me and the awesome members of the First Lutheran Church of Venice, in figuring out what it means to be God’s people, the light of Christ, on the Westside of LA.

Marie Tieck

Congregation President

 I am honored to be serving as First Lutheran's President! I'm responsible for calling and presiding over meetings of the Council and and Voter's Assembly. As a representative of the congregation, I partner with Pastor John, helping him set goals for the ministry, achieve the mission of the church, and optimizing the relationship between the Council, staff, and members.

Heather Davis

Minister of Community Engagement

Hi, I’m Heather! L.A. is my hometown (4th gen!) and Venice is where I’ve spent my whole adult life. I came to faith in this church in my early 30s and delight in finding ways for people “disinclined towards church” to see the beauty of loving God and being loved back. This new role lets me draw on a lot of different life experiences and training—advertising copywriter and creative director, screenwriter, theologian, author and speaker, liturgist and spiritual director and, most recently, songwriter and producer (I release under the artist name Sophia Streams). 

My focus for 2025 is to widen our support for children and youth experiencing homelessness in our midst, and to gather local artists to build community for those often working in isolation and in need of encouragement. We’ll be launching a monthly arts salon called Chandelier in January! Feel free to write me with any questions, suggestions, or to find out ways you can get involved at First Lutheran Venice at  heatherchoatedavis@gmail.com. Learn more about my life’s work at heatherchoatedavis.com. Hope to connect soon:) 

Jovanni Lindsey

Business Administrator

Hey y'all! I'm excited to introduce myself as your Business Administrator and I'm so thrilled to be joining such a vibrant and welcoming community. As your Business Admin I will be in charge of the emails, the phone calls, the Sunday bulletin, and the website! I'm excited to get to know all of you and continue to help build a strong community of faith.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions because facilitating and supporting you in worship is what I'm here for!

Samuel Curtis

Music Director

I am the Music Director and Contemporary Worship Leader here at First Lutheran - I enjoy playing the piano, guitar, singing, and writing songs. My work as a filmmaker screens on national television and at film festivals across the country. I have a deep passion for roots music, spoken word poetry, comedy, and producing and performing at live shows throughout Los Angeles.

Leading the music and media department here at the church has brought so much life and healing into my life. It's such a privilege to worship with you all!

Eric Taylor

Child Minister

Hey there! I'm thrilled to join as your Children's Minister, here to embark on an exciting journey of faith alongside your families. Guiding our young ones with engaging stories, interactive experiences, and a foundation of unwavering faith is my passion. From Sunday lessons to creating memorable events, I'm dedicated to nurturing a vibrant and connected community.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or thoughts! I'm here to support you every step of the way in this amazing adventure of growing together in faith!