Hope, Heat, and Holy Work: Highlights from Churchwide Assembly

This past week, the ELCA Churchwide Assembly took place in Phoenix, yes a perfect place to gather in the middle of those 100-degree days! This assembly is the largest decision-making body in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and it only meets once every three years. I’m not going to try to cover everything that happened (that would be a very long newsletter),but I do want to share some highlights. If you’re interested in diving deeper, there are links at the end.

Two of the biggest moments at the gathering were the elections of the ELCA’s Presiding Bishop and the Church Secretary. These are big leadership roles, and the folks in them help shape how the ELCA shows up in the world.

After a process of prayer and discernment, Bishop Yehiel Curry (from the Metro Chicago Synod) was elected as our next Presiding Bishop. Before he became a pastor, he worked as a teacher and then a social worker. I’ve known him to be a humble, grounded, and faithful leader, someone who deeply loves his family and is committed to the mission God has given him. If you’d like to hear from him directly, here’s a great intro video: Watch here

The other big election was for the Secretary of the ELCA, which is kind of like the church’s Chief Operating Officer, handling a lot of the behind-the-scenes structure and administration. We elected Rev. Cee Cee Mills, who currently serves as an assistant to the bishop in North Carolina. I’ve experienced her as a calm, thoughtful leader, someone who brings wisdom and grace into complicated spaces.

There were also several important memorials (basically, resolutions) that the assembly voted on and approved. Two that drew the most attention were:

A3: Indian Boarding School Remembrance
D4: Stand for Palestine and End to Occupation of Palestine

Along with all the voting, the delegates were greeted by many and various ecumenical and global partners. They also received several reports from the churchwide office, including the final report by Ohio's own and our current Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, who was also thanked with deep appreciation.

Overall, I left the assembly feeling hopeful about the direction we’re heading as a church. I’m praying that these new leaders will help spark a renewed sense of community and a deepened commitment to our Gospel mission. Sometimes I worry that, as a denomination, we’ve grown a little apathetic about being connected to one another. It’s easy to just focus on our own local communities or causes. But the beauty of the ELCA is that, like a congregation brings people together, the church brings congregations and synods together—to do what we simply can’t do alone.

So I hope you’ll join me in praying for our new leaders, and in showing up together as we follow their lead into this next chapter for the church.

God’s Peace
Pastor Tim

Links to more information:
Official Website with YouTube Link
Newspaper story
Lots of pictures