Let’s Celebrate the Presiding Bishop-Elect of the ELCA
Last week, Rev. Yehiel Curry was elected at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to be the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA. Previously, Curry served as a mission developer and pastor of Shekinah Chapel Lutheran Church in Chicago, was elected Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and most recently, had been selected by his peers to serve as the Chair of the Conference of Bishops.
He spoke to the assembly about his initial hesitation in accepting his first ministry role as one called to the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) program, which prepares individuals for ordained ministry in the ELCA, with a focus on emerging ministry contexts like ethnic-specific, multicultural, rural, and inner-city settings.
“Perhaps I’m out there in one of you,” Curry said. “I never saw myself as good enough, so for two years, I said no. I finally said yes. When I said yes, your support, this church’s support, of that ministry meant everything. So if you want to know what your benevolence dollars look like, it looks like me, and I want to say thank you. Thank you for your investment.”
DMLC gives Mission Support, or benevolence, from a percentage of the offerings we collect. It's a way for us to live out God's call to love and serve our neighbors, something we share with other ELCA congregations as we support the mission and ministries of the ELCA.
Bishop Curry probably would not have had an opportunity to become ordained without the programs the ELCA has in place to support mission developers.
We give thanks to all those who were part of the election process, and for the leadership of Rev. Elizabeth Eaton as she completes her term as Presiding Bishop.
You can hear Presiding Bishop-Elect Curry’s response to the election by clicking on the link below.
See you in church!