St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church ​
Trenton, New Jersey
St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church is a community of believers that is rooted in God’s unconditional grace and love, striving to share God’s light of hope and salvation to scatter the darkness wherever it is found, through word and deed.
"Not Just Going to Church, but BEING the Church"
Staff and Leaders
Barbara Schendlinger
Council President
​
Pastor Erich Kussman
Pastor Erich is unabashedly Christian, but his message is full of hope, faith, revolutionary social justice, combined with piercing insight into the power of radical love. He served time in prison and has graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Brandon Plantier
Media/Musician
JO-ANN SCIARROTTA
Music Administrator
Jo-Ann Sciarrotta is a critically acclaimed collaborative pianist, music director and award winning music educator. She has performed at the White House, United Nations, Atlantic City Casinos, gubernatorial inaugurations, Amato Opera and numerous theaters, churches, colleges, universities and concert venues on the East Coast. She has accompanied Broadway and Metropolitan Opera stars and collaborated with countless conductors, vocalists and instrumentalists. Television credits include featured pianist in the PBS documentary, “To Grandfather’s House We Go”. She is best known for her sensitive playing and sight reading skills.
Mrs. Sciarrotta (nee Rubay) graduated from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), holds a Master’s degree in Music from Boston University and did additional graduate study at Westminster Choir College and in Europe. As a music educator, she was the recipient of the Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award and from a field of over 1,000 teachers, was chosen Hamilton Township Teacher of the Year. She was an adjunct faculty member at TCNJ, Guest Artist at Beaver College (Acadia) and taught at numerous public and private schools.
In addition to her position at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Mrs. Sciarrotta is presently on the Professional Performance staff of The Central Jersey Choral Society, Trenton Children's Chorus and St. Paul’s Children's Choir.
She and her husband Nick are both Gold Card Members of the American Federation of Musicians, Local No. 62 and reside in Chesterfield, New Jersey with their son Christopher.
Johanna Romano Matos
Field Education Student
Greetings! My name is Johanna Romano Matos, and I’m a rising second-year M.Div student at Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS). Prior to attending PTS, I worked as a case manager at a faith-based organization providing services to recently arrived undocumented minors residing in NJ. My experience working with this needy population, along with my diaconal ministry at my congregation, confirmed God's call in my life to become a Pastor and Minister. I am extremely thrilled to be working at St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church, trusting that God will bless us abundantly. Looking forward to all that the Lord has in store for us, I am at your service. God bless!