By Pastor Ashley Osborn
Dean of the Northwest Hennepin Conference
Pastor at Valley of Peace, Golden Valley
Awe wasn’t just the theme for our Summer Worship at Valley of Peace—it was the emotion we all felt as we welcomed one of the newest, and youngest, members of our church family: Jessica. From the moment she arrived on her first Sunday, she made her presence known. With a polite but firm request, she shared her nickname but asked everyone to simply call her Jessica. I remember the goosebumps I felt in that moment, but it was just the beginning. Jessica dove into worship with a heart wide open—reading, singing, laughing, and attempting to greet every single person in the church. We were all in awe of her joy, her courage, and her enthusiasm.
It’s important to note that Jessica’s family has been open about her diagnosis of autism, but within our community, it has never been a defining factor. Here, at Valley of Peace, what matters is that Jessica has found a place where she can fully express herself—a place where her voice rings out joyfully at the end of every hymn and where her infectious spirit blesses us all. She is not defined by a diagnosis; she is defined by her presence, her love, and the way she lives out God’s peace among us. 
As we continued to get to know Jessica, her curiosity and wonder about the church became evident. One particular Sunday, our youth who attended the ELCA National Youth Gathering were sharing about the opportunity and the meaningful connections they made with so many Lutheran teens from across the country. During the service, Jessica stood up and, with a voice full of sincerity and curiosity, asked, “Am I Lutheran?”
It was a beautiful and unexpected question, and I found myself pausing for a moment. I didn’t know much about Jessica’s previous experiences with church, but I knew this moment mattered. I looked at her and said, “Jessica, you’ve been coming to a Lutheran church, learning about God, and sharing God’s love with all of us. So yes, I believe you are a Lutheran.”
What happened next left the entire congregation in awe. Jessica raised her arms high and proudly declared, “I am a Lutheran! I am a Lutheran!” Her face beamed with pride, her voice rang out with confidence, and in that moment, we all witnessed something profound—an embodiment of what it means to be truly seen, welcomed, and loved.
Jessica’s declaration has since become an inspiration to our whole congregation. Her boldness, her joy, her unwavering confidence remind us all to claim our own faith with the same enthusiasm. May we all sing as boldly as Jessica, share Christ’s peace as freely, and proclaim with pride, “I am a Lutheran!”
This post is the first of monthly posts blog posts written by the deans of the conferences of the Minneapolis Area Synod.