Sometimes church leaders are obvious: pastors, council members, the regular volunteers, etc. Sometimes our leaders are Lutherans living out their values in their daily lives: their vocation, their community roles, etc. We want to use this year to lift up and honor the many diverse and exceptional leaders in our synod. Follow along with us to celebrate some of the remarkable members of the body of Christ! – Brenda Blackhawk, Congregational Organizer for Racial Justice
What role(s) do you take on. In the synod, and beyond. What identities are important to you to highlight?
- I am a student at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, in the MDivX program.
Which, if any, congregation do you belong to?
- I am a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, MN, and I am serving as the Pastoral Intern at University Lutheran Church of Hope.
Thinking about the ELCA or the Minneapolis Area Synod, what part of its mission resonates the most with you/your work?
- I enjoy the synod’s outreach to the world and am proud of its part in the new Lutheran University in Nigeria.
- I enjoy about the Minneapolis Area Synod that it is the largest synod in the ELCA, yet the way the synod connects with pastors, students, and congregations, it feels more like a large family or a community.
Is there anything else you want to add or emphasize?
- I am looking forward to further connecting with the Minneapolis Area Synod and the synods of the ELCA and one of the ways that I will be doing that is as a delegate at the Churchwide Assembly in August.