The Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet was first called as a pastor to the Lutheran Ministry to Nursing Homes in Oakland and Alameda, CA. She started ministry and served in that capacity for six and 1/2 years ending her call in December 2008. She currently lives with her partner Larell in Alameda, CA with their dog Greta.
Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet was received onto the ELCA clergy roster in 2010.
Rev. Donna Simon is a Midwesterner by birth (and temperament), though she has spent much of her life on the West Coast. She is a graduate of San Francisco State University and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California.
Pastor Donna was called into ministry from a volunteer position as church youth director at Messiah Lutheran Church, Redwood City, California. After she began spending more and more time at church, working with youth and volunteering for pretty much everything else, her pastor encouraged her to attend seminary. She began studies at PLTS in 1995. She had the privilege of returning to Ann Arbor, Michigan–her first home–in 1998-99 for an internship at Lord of Light Lutheran Church and Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Michigan.
When Donna appeared before her ELCA candidacy committee in 1999 for the final step before ordination, she told them that she would not pledge compliance with the church’s Vision and Expectations Statement, which requires lifelong celibacy for gay and lesbian candidates. Though the candidacy panel recommended approval, the full committee postponed her approval pending change in denominational policy.
Donna was approved by the candidacy committee of the Extraordinary Candidacy Project (a root organization of ELM) later that year, and called to serve Abiding Peace Lutheran Church in August of 2000. She has been blessed to be in ministry there ever since.
Abiding Peace’s mission in the world is continuing to advocate for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life of the church, and working with other marginalized communities in and around the Kansas City Metro area. Abiding Peace is a proud member of Communities Creating Opportunity, a faith-based community organizing federation in the Metro. Through their work with CCO, Abiding Peace has developed a strong outreach to our homeless neighbors in the Northland area. The congregation continues to look for new ways to serve and opportunities to be in mission for Jesus Christ.
Read here blog here.
Rev. Donna Simon was received onto the ELCA clergy roster in 2010.
Rev. Steve Robertson is a graduate of Luther Seminary and was ordained on June 10, 1979. Steve served as Associate Pastor of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in East Bethel, Minnesota before becoming the Senior Pastor of Cambridge Lutheran Church in Cambridge, MN. Following an 11 year ministry in Cambridge, Steve was called to become the senior pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church in Overland Park, KS. His last call in the ELCA was as the senior pastor of Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN.
In 2006 Steve was removed from ELCA roster after a three year leave of absence and discernment process. Following this period in his life Steve fully came out as a gay man in a same sex committed relationship. Steve is currently serving as a Spiritual Coordinator/Bereavement Counselor for AseraCare Hospice, Bloomington. Steve is currently a member of St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church.
Rev. Dale Poland is currently serving as a spiritual care provider at VITAS Innovative Hospice Care in San Jose, CA. Dale, a native of Rio, WV, graduated from Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary with academic honors in New Testament Studies in 1991. Previously, he had earned a Bachelors’ of Science Degree in Forestry and Wildlife Resources from Virginia Tech in1987.
Dale was ordained and installed as Associate Pastor of St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA), Wheeling, WV on July 14, 1991 and was rostered with the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod. In the summer of 1995 he was issued a new call as the sole pastor of St. Mark Church. In 1999 Dale left parish ministry and completed three successive CPE residencies at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, West Virginia University Hospitals in Morgantown, WV, and St. Anthony Hospitals in Denver, CO.
Dale resigned from the ELCA ordained roster in 2002 over its unjust policies toward gay and lesbian clergy. In 2003 he was added to the roster of the ECP and later to the roster of ELM. Dale has worked in hospice care for the last ten years in Colorado and California and currently resides in San Jose, CA with his partner, Mauricio Cuevas
Rev. Dale Poland was reinstated to the ELCA clergy roster through the Rocky Mountain Synod in 2010.
“In my call to ministry, my relationship with the church is one of love, respect and forgiveness as I continue to be part of the effort to bring full inclusion to God’s family and church.”
Terry and his partner Kevin Estenson have four kids and two grandkids. Terry is currently working for the medical business until he is received a call- then he hopes to return to full time ministry. Rev. Terry Hagensen was approved for reinstated to the ELCA clergy roster in 2010.
The Rev. Jenny Mason served as an ELCA missionary in Santiago, Chile before being removed from the ELCA clergy roster in 2001 because of being an openly lesbian woman in relationship. More recently, Jenny served as Associate Pastor at Central City Lutheran Mission (CCLM) in San Bernardino, California, which was disciplined by the Synod for installing Jenny as an openly lesbian woman pastor. This resulted in the loss of both funding and official ELCA status as a congregation in development for this unique social ministry and active worship community.
She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Proclamation from the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago. Jenny moved to the Twin Cities in 2005 to live with her partner Jodi Barry, and now works as a Congregational Partnership Organizer for a faith-based developer of affordable housing.
Rev. Jenny Mason was approved for reinstatement to the ELCA clergy roster in 2010.
Rev. Steve Keiser was received to the ELCA clergy roster this morning during the 11 a.m. worship service at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Philadelphia. Bishop Claire Burkat, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod preached at the service and presided at the Rite of Reception. Keiser is pastor at Holy Communion, along with Rev. Kari Hart.
Rev. Keiser is the 15th pastor who was extraordinarily ordained to be received onto the ELCA clergy roster. Other ELM pastors and other LGBTQ rostered leaders have also been reinstated or received onto the ELCA roster.
The ELCA Rite of Reception is the formal rite developed by the ELCA to receive ELM roster members who had been extraordinarily ordained onto the ELCA clergy roster.
OVERVIEW of NEW DIRECTION
Our work has historically centered in three primary areas: candidacy, community and grants. These three areas remain our focus, with a new approach in some of these areas.
CANDIDACY: We will shift from our past work–providing an extraordinary candidacy process–to focus on candidacy support and accompaniment for publicly-identified LGBTQ person who are in Lutheran candidacy. ELM is currently developing a volunteer-based network of accompaniment for LGBTQ people in Lutheran candidacy. ELM will provide resources, chaplain support, advocacy and referrals.
COMMUNITY: In the past, the ELM Roster has been ELM’s community of LGBTQ rostered 
leaders. Now, we are launching a professional network of publicly-identified LGBTQ rostered leaders from multiple Lutheran rosters. These leaders are committed to changing the church and transforming society through their ministry as publicly-identified LGBTQ rostered leaders. ELM will hold an annual conference/retreat open to all, provide year-round online networking, and professional development opportunities, chaplain support, and visibility.
GRANTS: We will continue to provide mission partner grants and scholarships for publicly-identified LGBTQ people called to and serving as rostered leaders in the Lutheran church.
 |
| Rev. Jay Wiesner. Photo by: Richard W Garnett |
On Sunday, December 12, Rev. Jay Wiesner was received onto the roster of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA. The service took place during an Advent celebration at University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Philadelphia, PA.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod posted a lovely recap of the service on their blog. Read it here.
Rev. Megan Rohrer wrote an article featured on the ELCA sister site, ‘Living Lutheran’. The article “The Body of Christ has AIDS” explores the connection between communion and remembering those living with HIV/AIDS.
December 1st is World AIDS Day-a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. At ELM we keep those directly impacted by HIV/AIDs in our thoughts and prayers.
Rev. Megan Rohrer is an ELCA pastor and director of Welcome in San Francisco. ELM has supported Welcome with a Mission Partner grant for the past three years.