An article in the Bay Area Reporter featured this Sunday’s Sierra Pacific Synod celebration and profiled ELM pastors. ELM roster member Rev. Jeff Johnson is featured:
“I think this is a very significant step for the church, which has been in this two-decade process of studying gay and lesbian people and talking about finding ways to include us. That process has now come to an end and the church has decided that LGBT people are to be welcomed fully as leaders and members of the church, so it is a huge step that the church has taken,” said the Reverend Jeff Johnson, whose ordination 20 years ago as an assistant pastor at the city’s First United Lutheran Church sparked the internal dialogue within the national Lutheran Church.”
Many other ELM supporters and roster members are quoted, read the article here. Watch a live stream of this Sunday’s service here.
Many ELM roster members are working towards becoming part of the ELCA roster. Currently, 12 ELM pastors have received approval for reception, reinstatement or ordination by an ELCA candidacy committee. We celebrate with the church as we live into the new ministry policies and we continue to support and work with those who are in the process of approval.
Approvals:
Sierra Pacific Synod Reception: Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Dawn Roginski, Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet, Rev. Megan Rohrer, Rev. Craig Minich, Rev. Paul Brenner Reinstatement: Rev. Ross Merkel
Minneapolis Area Synod Reception: Rev. Jen Nagel
St. Paul Area Synod Reception: Rev. Anita Hill
Southeast Iowa Synod Reception: Rev. Erik Christensen
I was born and raised in a family of faith that instilled deep values that continue to shape and form my identity to this day. Throughout my college years I searched to make my faith my own eventually discerning a call to ordained ministry while enrolled in graduate theological study. Through the next nine years I encountered many delays and roadblocks but still pursued where I felt God leading me. A wise friend once shared with me to pay attention to the opportunities that present themselves in life as this is one way a person can discern where God is calling them.
Through a series of events I was invited to apply to ELM and this summer was formally entered into the program. In the fall of 2009 I began seminary study at United Theological Seminary in New Brighton MN. I am looking forward to continued spiritual growth and formation through my courses at UTS and Luther Seminary and growing further into community with school, church, ELM and family.
My partner Maja Knutson and I were married in Des Moines IA in Aug. 2009 and are very excited at all the new beginnings in our life together. Maja’s family lives in the Twin Cities area and are delighted to have us living so close and have been incredibly loving and supportive.
Lisa Stenmark earned her M.Div. from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, an MA in Systematic Theology from the Graduate Theological Union. After serving for a year as an interim pastor in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she went on to Vanderbilt University where she earned her Ph.D. in Religious Studies.
She currently teaches at San Jose State University, in the Comparative Religious Studies Program. She has been active in the science and religion discourse for over a decade and was the founder and Director of Women in Religion, Ethics and the Sciences (WiRES). She currently serves on steering committee of the American Academy of Religion’s Science, Technology and Religion Group, after serving as Co-Chair. Her scholarly interests include the implications of narrative trajectories for understanding the relationship between science, technology and religion, and rethinking the ways that religion, science and the science and religion discourse can and should engage in the public sphere and is currently working on a book entitled A Disputational Friendship: Religion, Science and Democracy.
In her spare time she practices Aikido (in which she has a Black Belt) and other martial arts, trains for triathlons and is an avid Science Fiction fan.
Greg A. Egertson, M.Div. was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1957. The oldest of six sons, his parents are the Rev. Dr. Paul W. Egertson (Bishop Emeritus, Southern California West Synod ELCA) and Shirley Smith Egertson. Greg grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in the American Lutheran Church and comes from a family of Lutheran pastors, including his father, grandfather and brother.
Greg graduated from California Lutheran University in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Two years later, he completed the requirements for an undergraduate degree in Music. He worked at UCLA as a Research Associate in the Neuropsychiatric Institute until 1982, when he relocated to San Francisco. Since then, he has been a member at St. Francis Lutheran Church where has served in a number of leadership roles, including congregation president.
In 1983 Greg enrolled as an openly gay student at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS), in Berkeley, CA. Often referred to as the “fourth seminarian,” Greg was a classmate of Jeff Johnson, Jim Lancaster and Joel Workin, “the Berkeley three.” After completing his internship at St. James Lutheran Church in Portland, OR, Greg graduated from PLTS in 1989. Because he refused to vow celibacy, Greg was not approved for ordination in the ELCA. Upon his return to San Francisco, Greg was appointed to serve on the call committee at St. Francis that called Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart to serve with Jeff Johnson as the founding pastors of Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries (LLGM).
In 1993, Greg became a founding board member of the Extraordinary Candidacy Project (ECP) where he served until 2003. He joined the LLGM Board in 1998 and was approved for ordination by the ECP in 1999. During his time with LLGM, Greg filled many board positions including co-chair. He helped to shepherd several extraordinary ordinations and installations of ECP pastors. He also provided key leadership in the visioning process that resulted in February’s agreement to join LLGM and ECP.
In his secular life, Greg currently holds a position as Associate Dean for Budget, Administration and Enrollment Management at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco.
This week ELM pastors and ELM Executive Director Amalia Vagts are heading to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul for the 2010 Lutherans Concerned/North America biennial assembly. It will be held in Minneapolis July 8-11 (pre-events on July 7).
ELM is pleased to be a sponsor of the conference. This event draws supporters of full inclusion for LGBT people from across the country for worship, workshops and community. The 2010 theme is “Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters”, read about the workshops here.
Julie Boleyn grew up in Oregon, attending a Lutheran church for the first time at the invitation of a high school friend. While still in high school, she became a Sunday School teacher, jr. high youth leader, and sang in the choir. Almost directly upon graduation, Julie started working for a start-up software company as their first employee. While the work was interesting, she found her real joy was always in the volunteer work she did with the church.
In August of 1997 she came out as a lesbian, leaving her marriage of 2 years. It was in Bible study, not long after, that she realized that God’s love urged her out of the closet, much as Jesus called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb. With this new found freedom and hope, she left her work in software and volunteered on long-term staff at Holden Village. It was there that she discerned a call to the ministry as a parish pastor. In May 2010 Julie completed her masters at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Julie and her partner, Jeanine Reardon, were married in a church ceremony at St. Paul Lutheran in Evanston, Illinois in October of 2004. Jeanie is training to become a chaplain, and is completing her year-long residency at Alexian Brothers Medical Center. In January of this year, Julie and Jeanie welcomed the birth of their daughter, Madelyn. They are thrilled, awestruck, and humbled by this new vocation of parenthood.
Rev. Susan Strouse is a native of Pottstown, PA (near Philadelphia) and is a graduate of Antioch University/Philadelphia (B.A. in Human Services) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg (Master of Divinity) She has previously served congregations in Amherst, NY, Buffalo, NY, and Novato, CA. She has been at First United since December 2004 and on the ELM roster since 2009. She was on the ELM steering committee and served as the first chair of the Congregations ellipse on the Covenant Circle. Since 2010, she has served as Dean of the San Francisco conference.
In 2005 she received a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. Her area of study and interest is interfaith theology, particularly working with congregations and clergy to explore the meaning of being a Christian in our religiously diverse world. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio.
Pastor Susan resides in Berkeley and enjoys the CA weather, sitting in cafes, and hanging out with her “significant other” and resident furry friends.
Rev. Dawn Roginski was ordained extra ordinem at St. Francis Lutheran (SF) on June 16. Pr. Ruth Frost was celebrant; Bishop Paul Egertson (retired) and Pr. Dan Solberg, Dean of the San Francisco Conference conducted the rite of ordination; Pr. Donna Simon preached. Pr Roginski was installed as pastor of parish programs at St. Francis on June 17 (Pr. Erik Christensen preaching).
Rev. Dawn Roginski grew up Catholic in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned an undergraduate psychology degree from the University of Minnesota and began a career in counseling. Dawn then earned an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Dawn was promoted to program director at a residential treatment facility for seriously mentally ill patients at Boston Health Care in Minneapolis. After nearly 10 years of full-time employment at Boston Health Care, Dawn was called to ministry after presiding at a prayer service and further exploration.
Following a discernment process, Dawn became Lutheran because she felt a deep connection with the theology of Martin Luther and the way he envisioned the Gospel, and because of the Lutheran church’s strong theological grounding. She also did research, read materials and talked to other Lutherans and pastors.
Dawn transferred to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and came out while attending there. Despite obstacles due to her sexual orientation, Dawn received her Master of Divinity degree at Luther Seminary December in 2002, completing her internship at Lord of Light Lutheran Campus Ministry in Ann Arbor, MI. As the only out M.Div. student she was aware of in her first year at Luther, other closeted students actively avoided her, leaving her isolated from their support. She gained strength from Pr. Anita Hill and the congregation of St. Paul-Reformation, where she became a member. In 2002, Dawn embarked on the course of eventual indefinite postponement of her approval for ordination in the ELCA. Her approval committee has never followed-up. Dawn joined the ELM Roster in 2002.
In 2003, Dawn became a part-time chaplain and part-time youth care worker at a residential treatment center for children in Kansas City, MO, providing care for seriously emotionally disturbed children and youth. Dawn developed a youth ministry program from the ground up, including groups and worship. As her programs grew, she was offered the position of full-time chaplain.
As a volunteer, Dawn’s service includes having served in leadership roles on the Lutherans Concerned/North America board. Dawn loves music and plays in the Mid-America Freedom Band. Dawn serves on the Roster Council for ELM. Rev. Dawn Roginski was received onto the ELCA clergy roster in 2010.
Megan Rohrer, is a native of Sioux Falls, SD. A graduate of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, Megan received a master of divinity at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California where Megan is currently a candidate for the Doctorate of Ministry degree.
The first openly transgender pastor to be ordained in the Lutheran church, Megan has been the Executive Director of Welcome (a ministry to the homeless and hungry in the Polk Gultch District of San Francisco, CA) at Old First Presbyterian Church since June of 2002 – and has been called to this ministry by a joint call from herchurch (Ebenezer Lutheran), Christ Church Lutheran, St. Francis Lutheran and Sts. Mary and Martha Lutheran. Megan was ordained extraordinarily on November 18, 2006.
Known for creative leadership and ministry, Megan has worked with congregations across the Bay Area to transform unused land into community gardens. The most notable of these gardens is the Free Farm, a 1/3 acre farm on the former site of St. Paulus Lutheran Church which is expected to harvest 12,000 pounds of free food that will be given away to local residents.
Currently, Megan is working in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco on the Vanguard Project. Tenderloin street youth founded the organization Vanguard in 1966 with the support of liberal ministers, and in the context of a federal anti-poverty campaign. It is considered to be the nation’s first gay liberation organization and first gay/transgender youth organization. This project creates a series of opportunities for people living in poverty and those working on anti-poverty campaigns, to consider their place in the city vis-Ã -vis creative engagement with Vanguard Magazine, published from 1966-68.
