Tabernacle Staff

Rev. Joe Amico Pastor

Rev Joe came to us in October 2014 as a bi-vocational pastor, having served churches in WI, CA, and VT. He is also a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and is known internationally for his work on LGBTQ+ addiction issues.

Rev Joe was baptized at St. Francis Roman Catholic (Italian) Parish in Lynn and attended Sunday School at St. Stephen’s Episcopal church until his family moved to Saugus when Rev Joe was in second grade. Rev Joe is a graduate of Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL.

As a United Methodist minister, Rev Joe served churches in Wisconsin for 17 years until his divorce and revelation to the Bishop that he was gay. The Bishop promptly removed him because the United Methodist Church (to this day) rules that “a self-avowed, practicing homosexual cannot be ordained or appointed to a church.”

Rev Joe served ten years at the Pride Institute, the nation’s first inpatient substance abuse treatment facility for the LGBTQ community. During that time he was the choir director at Lynnhurst Congregational UCC in Minneapolis . “Lynnhurst loved me into the UCC”.
Rev Joe served as Associate Conference Minister for the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ where he worked collaboratively with the Congregational Christian Church of Mexico to create a Church Without Borders in El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. He went on to serve as pastor of an inter-racial Disciples of Christ Church in LA.

Rev Joe is excited to be back “home” and serving Tabernacle Church with its rich history and proud tradition in the City of Salem. He lives with his partner of 27+ years, has two children, one step son, and four grandchildren. Ask him about their Black Russian Terriers and vintage cars!
He can be reached by phone at 978-744-3164 or by email at revjoe@tabernaclechurch.org

Lorraine Santo

Lorraine is our Church Administrator. She has previously served as General Manager for Anthony Auto Rental in Patchogue, N.Y. as well as Senior Head Bank Teller for HSBC Bank, USA. Lorraine began her career as a Supervisor for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Having relocated from New York, Lorraine currently resides with her husband and family in Salem.