Month: May 2026

From a Pastor’s Desk

Roberto Lara Aranda May 11, 2026 No Comments

From Invisible to Bold Witness

By The Rev. Teresita “Tita” Valeriano
Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries, Program Director — Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities, ELCA

When I was living in Chicago, I found a then-new Asian queer community through a flyer with the title “From Invisible to Invincible.” This was even before the 2009 ELCA Assembly adoption of “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” Social Statement, together with its implementing resolutions and a recommendation on Ministry Policies.

As an Asian immigrant, I strongly identified with the title of the flyer. As Asian, we are made invisible, and our stories and gifts overlooked under the disguise of being a model minority, a phrase coined to pit people of color against each other.  And though I believe that no one can be invincible, that was the time when I was also on the journey to step away from the shadows of invisibility, as Filipino American, Christian, and queer.

This May, as we observe Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I think of how my journey from invisibility has brought me to meet and build relationships with more AANHPI Queer Christians, some of them Lutherans. Even though there are still unresolved challenges about full justice for gender, gender expressions and identities among API Lutherans, I believe that we are not only ready to step out of invisibility, but towards a more holistic ministry of justice as our bold witness. Beyond gender justice, we are committed to its intersection with racial, migrant and refugees’ justice. So to join me this month, I invite you to know we truly are through the following stories and commitments:

  1. “Queer We Stand and Celebrate: Transpacific Queer Network.” In 2024, 23 Asian Queer Christians gathered, making a safe and courageous space to celebrate our humanity and identity, share our stories, break bread together, and create new visions. I invite you to pray for the following commitment and become an ally.

    We commit from an ecumenical (and) Lutheran perspective the need to grow our faith, to network, to keep, and to grow relationships with one another as Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQIA+ folks on both sides of the Pacific.

    We commit to:
  1. Identify the LGBTQIA+ liberational work already happening in API contexts and create/strengthen connections among existing organizations, API queer theologians, lay leaders, and practitioners.
  2. Contextualize queer/liberative/affirming theologies, interpretations, liturgies, and ministry practices into multiple API contexts.
  3. Recognize, resist, and eradicate the harm from various forms of oppression and intersectional injustice, colonial power, and cis-hetero normativity to live fully as communities of the kin-dom* [reign] of God.
  4. Practice deep solidarity, mutual support, compassion, and communal- and self-care across multiple intersecting differences.
  5. Identify and form leaders to make safer and braver spaces and to imagine ways to transform the churches and faith-related communities in Asia, the Pacific, North America, and everywhere.

 

  1. The API Ministries Office lifts the stories of Japanese-American Lutherans observing their call of “Day of Remembrance”, every February 19th. This year we also observe the 80th anniversary of the Japanese Americans’ release from the internment camp. Three Japanese American Lutherans, Gail Kiyomora, Stacy Kitahata and Rev. Deanna Kim Basset, are sharing their stories in the Living Lutheran on May 5,13 and 29, 2026.

 

  1. We also want to focus on the bold witness of our Hmong communities. In May 1976, the largest group of Hmong refugees arrived in the United States. I invite you to include them in the Sundays prayers of the people this month. Here are some themes as we pray with and for our Hmong communities:
  1. The gifts and valuable contribution of the Hmong community in church and society
  2. Refugees’ safe journeys, and for the provisions they need along the way
  3. For refugees to find warm welcome, hospitality, belonging and just immigration policies, especially for those seeking asylum and protection from violence and war
  4. For refugees’ family reunions
  5. For strong faith, that they may be able to worship with freedom and strengthen their faith communities

 

2026 Workin Scholarship

Roberto Lara Aranda May 8, 2026 No Comments

ELM is pleased to announce that the 2026 Workin Scholarship for publicly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Lutheran seminarians and first-year pastors is now accepting applications. This year, up to three grants of $5,000 each will be awarded to the chosen candidates.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries expands ministry opportunities for publicly identified LGBTQ rostered leaders who are changing the church and society through their ministry. ELM is the custodian of an endowment fund established in 1995 to honor the memory of Joel Raydon Workin. Joel was one of the three gay seminarians who were refused ordination in 1989 after “coming out” to their candidacy committees. This act of faithfulness was the spark that ignited our movement of resistance within the ELCA and part of what led to the August 2009 change in ELCA ministry policies.

Each year, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries names a Joel R. Workin Memorial Scholar (learn more here.) This award comes with a financial scholarship to a LGBTQ seminarian who embodies Joel’s passion for justice and faith in his or her life and ministry. In addition, the Scholar will be invited throughout the year to be involved with various ELM activities.

This year marks the 31st anniversary of Joel’s passing from AIDS and the nineteenth year that a Joel R. Workin Memorial scholarship has been awarded. Previous recipients include Bishop Jen Rude, the Rev. Matthew James, the Rev. Julie Boleyn, the Rev. Laura Kuntz, the Rev. Emily Ewing, the Rev. Rebecca Seely, the Rev. Asher O’Callaghan, the Rev. Gretchen Colby Rode, the Rev. Amy Hanson, Justin Ferko, and Christopher Gilbert , Rev. Leon La Crosse, Jory Mickelson, Rachel San Diego, Max Del Bosque and Juan Manuel Arias Parea.

Eligibility – The eligible student must be a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer seminary (or divinity school student) or first-year pastor who has demonstrated gifts for ordained or rostered lay ministry and seeks to fulfill their vocation as a publicly identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leader. The student must be a member of Proclaim, the professional community of publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran pastors, seminary students and rostered lay leaders. Proclaim is a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. 

The scholarship committee welcomes applications from current seminary students who have applied in prior years!

Application Materials – To be considered for the award, your completed application must be submitted to the scholarship committee no later than Friday, August 1, 2026

Please include:

  1. Joel was a brilliant writer, and the essay is the most important part of your application. This year, we are requesting a 1-page response on your discernment process as well as a 3 – 5 essay in response this year’s topic. For the latter, you should be familiar with Joel’s published writings as presented in Dear God, I’m Gay, Thank You! and, in particular, his sermon entitled “New Beginnings.” Please feel free, however, to cite any of his works in your essay.
  2. A copy of your current resume. Please include any Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries/Proclaim activities.
  3. A professional recommendation from a professor, pastor or other rostered professional who can testify to your qualifications specific to this honor and award. (The recommendation letter must be on the official letterhead of the organization with which they are affiliated.)
  4. A copy of your transcript from seminary or divinity school (unofficial transcripts will suffice).

The Joel R. Workin Memorial Scholar is awarded to those whose character and abilities are consistent with Joel’s legacy. Among these are: academic excellence, personal and professional integrity, courage in response to the church’s discriminatory policies, a passion for social justice, faithfulness to Jesus Christ and potential to become an effective leader in church and society. Please provide one letter of recommendation from someone (professor, pastor or other rostered professional) who can testify to your qualifications specific to this honor and award. The recommendation letter should be printed on official organizational letterhead.

Deadline – The deadline for submitting your resume, reflection paper and one letter of recommendation is 6:00 pm EDT on Friday, August 1, 20126. All application materials must be submitted electronically to mpnwrites@icloud.com. Please put “Joel R. Workin Scholarship Application” in the subject line.

Notification – The scholarship committee will notify applicants of its decision in mid-August.

On behalf of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, Joel’s family and friends, and the members of Proclaim, we commend this opportunity to you and invite your application.

If you have questions, please send them to director@elm.org or to Workin Committee chair Michael Nelson at mpnwrites@icloud.com.

May your Easter season be filled with joy and peace.

 

WORKIN SCHOLARSHIP 2026 ESSAY QUESTIONS

Please review Joel Workin’s essays and sermons entitled Dear God, I’m Gay – Thank You! and then reflect on the following:

  1. Tell us your story and where you are in your discernment in your sense of call. (1 page)
  2. Please read Joel’s sermon entitled New Beginnings. Keeping in mind the texts on which he preached, where are the new beginnings to which the church is being called today? Where are the new beginnings that Queer Christians are being called to today? And where do you see the intersection of the two? (3 – 6 pages)

Please submit your essay response along with your resume, letter of reference, and transcript.