By Bishop Jen Nagel

More than 800 voting members and hundreds of visitors, observers, volunteers, and staff spent last week in Phoenix at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly. From Minneapolis Area Synod, we had a group of 30 voting members and a strong contingent of others supporting the assembly’s work. I am deeply grateful for how our group showed up with faithfulness, curiosity, humility, mutual respect, good humor, joy, engagement, and honesty. See the photo gallery below from our team and the ELCA that show many of our voting members in action.

I know that many have been following the assembly’s actions online. Want to catch up?

  • Here is a playlist of videos chronicling the whole assembly—plenaries (sessions for business, learning, voting, and prayer), worship services, special events like the exhibition pow wow, short videos with a focus on assorted ministries (hint: could be used in worship), and some really well done pre assembly bible studies (even after the fact, these could be used well in a congregational bible study setting).
  • Here are daily posts from Living Lutheran. I appreciate the words, but even more I love the pictures. Check them out!
  • And here are the daily updates posted by Assistant to the Bishop for Faith and Neighboring, Nicholas Tangen.

By now, most have heard of the elections of Presiding Bishop-Elect Rev. Yehiel Curry and Secretary-Elect Rev. CeCee Mills. Bishop Curry currently serves in Metropolitan Chicago Synod and also serves as the Chair of the Conference of Bishops. It’s in this capacity that I’ve come to know him over the last year and so value his leadership and ministry. I’d echo a phrase I’ve heard from others: He’s the real deal. He embodies faithfulness, trust in God’s power and the Holy Spirit’s movement, clarity, collaboration, and humor. I’m grateful for his willingness and trust to step into this big role and I invite you to join me in praying for Bishop-elect Curry, his family, and the Metropolitan Chicago Synod.

I look forward to working with Secretary-Elect Mills and learning more about her leadership. It’s my sense that she melds a deep piety, considerable years of ministry in the North Carolina Synod office and parishes, a willingness to listen and act, and just the right amount of constitutional nerdiness that’s essential for facilitating a good process as the church moves and flexes in these times. We pray for Secretary-Elect Mills, her synod and community, and the whole ELCA Churchwide organization in these coming months.

Memorials sent from Minneapolis Area Synod, along with dozens of others from synods around the church, were approved en bloc. These included memorials related to Youth Gathering DEIA, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, and Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection. A few areas to name in particular:

  • The Faith and Civic Life Social Statement was approved. This offers important ethical language and direction for each of us (yes, you and me, all of us, check it out), especially in this time. Some years ago, it was from Minneapolis Area Synod that the call rose for a social statement of this nature.
  • We approved a memorial related to Palestinian rights and Israel. This came from many synods and included elements from the memorial passed by our synod. Learn more about this work of Sumud (which means steadfastness in Arabic) here.
  • We approved a memorial about Indian Boarding School Remembrance. Our thanks to Elizabeth Andress from Grace University Lutheran Church who is a leader in this movement.
  • In all of this, the humanity of God’s church was real—we tried our best and still there was harm, still it was painful at times. For many in our delegation, there were real highs and also significant struggles, especially related to how we as the ELCA hold the tension between the church as it is, and the church as it is called to be. I was grateful for the role of Assembly Chaplains, led by Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy and Rev. Jenny Sung, making space, accompanying individuals, and inviting reconciliation.

To riff on Hebrews 11:32, and what more shall I say? So much happened last week! What images do I hold? The visual of colorful streamers (and sometimes doves) embodying the Holy Spirit’s movement leading us into and out of worship, and the steady rhythm of preparing for votes with song and prayer. Often led by Deacon John Weit from the Churchwide worship staff, we prayed singing chants such as “Come, Holy Spirit, Come” (ACS #940, and found here at 2:56:07).

This assembly felt like a shift in the possibilities for the future of our church and I am hopeful for this direction. Come, Holy Spirit, come. That’s my prayer for all of us and our church moving forward. Thanks be to God.