About Pastor Jay

Pastor Jay Winters has been at University Lutheran since 2007. He grew up on the mission field as the son of a missionary in the Philippines where he lived until he was almost 13.  After the Philippines, Pastor Jay and his family moved to St. Louis, MO, where his parents still reside.  Pastor Jay completed an English BA for his undergraduate degree at Concordia University – Nebraska, and moved on to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis MO.

It was while he was at Concordia Seminary that Pastor Jay began to become interested in campus ministry work.  This led him to be able to take a vicarage (internship) assignment at First Lutheran in Gainesville, FL – the campus ministry to the campus of the University of Florida. After completing his time in Gainesville and his last academic year at Concordia Seminary, Pastor Jay was called to University Lutheran in Tallahassee.

While in Gainesville, Pastor Jay met his wife, Liz. They have three daughters together, Cricket Belle, Tempest Jane, and Willow Ann.

Other roles and vocations

Pastor Jay is interested and involved in several other things within the Church and beyond.  He is currently:

• Vice President for the Florida – Georgia District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS)
• Alumnus of the Pastoral Leadership Institute “Missional Leader” training program
• Alumnus of the “Emergent Leader” training program of the Florida – Georgia District of the LCMS
• President for the Interfaith Council of Florida State University