Pastor Mike Gauch
Pastoral Counselor / Spiritual Director / Executive Director
Mike and Marcy Gauch
Pastor Mike Gauch is the Executive Director of Safe Harbor Ministry and provides pastoral counseling and spiritual direction for adults seeking healing, clarity, and a deeper experience of God. He helps individuals who feel stuck in recurring patterns of fear, relational strain, or unresolved wounds that effort alone has not changed. Mike offers a safe, unhurried space to slow down, explore one’s inner life, and engage one's personal story with compassion rather than shame.
His approach integrates Formational Healing Prayer, Internal Family Systems, spiritual direction, and contemplative listening, emphasizing not only insight but the healing presence of Jesus in places of pain, grief, and fear. He works with those navigating anxiety, family-of-origin wounds, spiritual questions, life transitions, and ministry burnout.
A former senior pastor for 24 years, Mike has a particular heart for pastors, ministry leaders, missionaries, and their spouses. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University and Grace Theological Seminary.
Liz Gordon
Liz Gordon has a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling as well as training in Formational Prayer Counseling. For the past 15 years Liz has been on her own spiritual healing journey. Having experienced God's healing in areas of fear, shame, and brokenness, she is passionate about helping others experience that same hope. She was the Director of LifeCare at Tree of Life Christian Schools for 7 years. Working in LifeCare, she provided support to students and families in times of crisis.
Liz believes that lasting transformation happens through genuine encounters with Jesus. Drawing from both her professional training and personal healing journey, she creates a safe, compassionate space where people can experience God's love, grow in emotional and spiritual health, and deepen their relationship with Him. Her desire is to help others find healing, live with greater freedom, and flourish in the life God created them for.
Liz has been married to her husband, Cris for over 30 years. They have 4 children and a growing number of grandchildren. She loves to spend time with her family and friends. She also loves to read and spend time in creation.
Pastor Liz Gordon
Pastoral Counselor / Speaker / Retreat Leader
As Director of Operations for Safe Harbor Ministry, Marcy Gauch helps create the welcoming and caring environment that is at the heart of Safe Harbor. She oversees scheduling, responds to inquiries, manages bookkeeping and accounts receivable, and helps people navigate the practical details of connecting with Safe Harbor. But for Marcy, these responsibilities are about more than administration—she genuinely enjoys encouraging people, listening to their stories, and praying with anyone who asks.
Marcy is a trained spiritual director through the School of Sustainable Faith and has also completed training in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. While she is not currently offering spiritual direction through Safe Harbor, her training and experience deeply shape the way she approaches people—with attentiveness, compassion, and a desire to help others notice the presence and work of God in their lives. Her own experiences in ministry have also given her a particular appreciation for the importance of soul care and healthy, sustainable ministry.
In addition to her work with Safe Harbor, Marcy serves full-time as Director of Care and Connection at Karl Road Baptist Church. Whether she is helping someone schedule an appointment, offering a word of encouragement, or pausing to pray, Marcy brings warmth, care, and a genuine love for people to all she does.