About the ELCA 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states, Caribbean, and U.S. Virgin Islands. With a vision to live in a world experiencing the difference God’s grace and love in Christ makes for all people and creation, the ELCA strives to be a welcoming, thriving, and connected church that introduces people to Jesus so they can discover community, justice, and love.

The Lutheran Center (national office) is located in Chicago, Illinois. A staff of 400, under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop, serve as administrators, advisors, conveners, partners, and resource people for the ELCA and its ministries. Staff lead the work of national, domestic, and global ministries and programs including Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Service & Justice, Christian Community and Leadership, and Innovation.  We are also home to five of our separately incorporated ministries: The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA Foundation and the ELCA Federal Credit Union.

About the position 

This position represents the ELCA through the Christian Community and Leadership Area in the Northern Great Lakes Synod and is responsible for the development of Congregational Vitality: “Communities of Jesus that nurture new life-changing relationships with God, one another and the world,” and reflects the purposes, principles and commitments of the synod, CCL and the ELCA as a whole. 

This position will coordinate and facilitate the education of synod staff and others in the synod through the formation and coordination of strategies designed to help congregations engage so that more people know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice, and love. 

The person in this position is expected to fully participate in the life and ministry of the synod, on the synod staff with synod initiatives, and is responsible for implementing and building upon ELCA commitments to diversity, people with disabilities, the young-adult population; as well as people and communities experiencing poverty. This person participates in resourcing the synod mission strategy with an emphasis on congregational vitality and leadership. 

This position will be coterminous with the synod bishop and supervised jointly by both the Bishop of the Synod and CCL staff. Other assignments of responsibility will be made by the Synod Bishop and Director of DEM Support. The position will be based in the Northern Great Lakes Synod and will serve as a living representation of the interdependent nature of the ELCA. 

This is a full-time, in-person, exempt (salary), contract (co-terminous with the synod bishop term ending August 2029) synod staff position and is expected to live in the geographic territory of the synod (Regions_and_Synods_Map.jpg (1584×1224) (elca.org).

Candidates for this position must reside within the fifty United States or the District of Columbia and be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. 

1. Responsible for the continuation and support of the synod team that encourages the vitality of existing congregations and new mission development in the synod (including area ministry strategies, congregational mission plans, and congregational vitality.) 

2. Responsible for the administration of the portfolio of supported ministries including the process of application and evaluation of grants through the ELCA Grantmaker (EGM) System. Provides supervision, monitors development, and evaluates progress of funded ministries, including but not limited to U.P. Wild Church and its branches.

3. Responsible for identifying, recruiting, and training leaders for the work of the church including those who can serve as mission developers, Licensed Lay Ministers, and rostered ministers. 

4. Responsible for establishing short- and long-term priorities and sharing learnings with the synod and across the ELCA. Provides a visible witness to the interdependent nature of the church and communicates our shared mission and vision. 

5. Responsible for mission support and stewardship (up to ¼ time). Supporting the ongoing work of Faithful Innovations/Fresh Expressions and other efforts in building Congregational Vitality. 

6. Other duties as assigned.

ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Pastoral Care:

1. Demonstrate concern for the spiritual welfare of the entire territory.

2. Meet with congregations and councils as requested and needed.

3. Shepherd congregations through transition and Holy Closure.

4. Provide ongoing support for rostered persons, their families, and church staff. Refer to appropriate counseling if so determined, while keeping the bishop informed of the situation.

5. Represent the bishop's office in times crisis and in conflict situations and initiate the appropriate process for providing competent intervention, while keeping the bishop informed of the situation. 

B. Team Building and Networking:

1. Participate in staff meetings.

2. Preach/Preside regularly in synod congregations as an extension of the bishop and as requested at occasions such as installations, anniversaries, dedications, or other congregational events.

3. Attend meetings of the Synod Council, Executive Committee, Fall/Spring Conference gatherings, and Synod events. Attend additional Committee meetings under your portfolio.

o Companion Synod Relations with the Eastern & Coastal Diocese of Tanzania

o Synod Assembly Planning

o Other possible Committee/Team assignments include: Leadership Committee, Walking with our Indigenous Neighbors, World Hunger, Kaleidoscope in Christ, Lifelong Faith Formation, Campus Ministry,

C.  Synod-wide and Churchwide:

1. Serve as staff liaison to campus ministry and youth ministry endeavors.

2. Relate to other agencies, committees, task groups, or churchwide staff as requested by the bishop.

Synod Information

Northern Great Lakes Synod – Equipping the Saints for Ministry (nglsynod.org) 

As people of God, we seek to boldly share Christ, passionately make disciples, and faithfully do justice in our communities. The Northern Great Lakes Synod includes all of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as well as the six counties of Northern Wisconsin that run along the southern Wisconsin/Michigan border. 77 congregations comprise the Synod, all of which qualify as rural. Our synod can be described as population clusters amid lakes and woods, some farmland and national forest. Our congregations are, for the most part, well established, many having celebrated their 75th, 100th, and 125th anniversaries. The overarching anxiety is one of decline, even survival, even as evidence of the Holy Spirit at work continues to inspire, direct, and bear fruit. The sense of community is deep and intertwined, the love the church is evident, and the respect for the authority of the office of pastor is well intact. 

1. 5+ years of experience effectively leading an effort that helped bring people to faith. Grounding in Christian faith and familiarity with Lutheran theology, evangelism, discipleship and the theories and practice of mission development that responds to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Rostered minister, Word and Sacrament, strongly preferred. 

2. Effective communicator in preaching, teaching, writing and evangelical outreach.  

3. Demonstrated ability working with leaders in agile, adaptive innovation and facilitating group processes as well as knowledge, experience and/or willingness to learn, listen and utilize the ELCA Coaching Ministry in growing leaders and building tables. 

4. Experience using Microsoft Office suite of applications, web-based communication platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.). Ability to learn new software and systems.  

5. Ability to utilize metrics, congregational trend reports and demographic data in the process of the development of congregational vitality for new and existing congregations. 

6. Proven effective time-management and administrative experience and ability to meet deadlines and attention to details. 

7. Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, analytical and communication skills and the ability to work in partnership with peers, other CCL staff, synod, and regional staff. 

8. Ability to relate and communicate well in diverse cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic situations. Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

9. Active participation in a Christian congregation and God’s mission.

Physical 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time.  Employee will occasionally need to lift boxes or materials up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel 

Position requires minimal overnight, domestic travel by plane and car. Valid driver’s license required. The entire synod is within driving distance. Some flights required for ELCA meetings. 

Benefits 

The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees, health and dependent care FSA’s, a health savings account (HSA) with an employer contribution, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer a generous paid time-off policy including 17 paid holidays. All benefits commence on your start date.

Contact

If you have questions about this job or your application, please complete this form to contact People Solutions (HR).

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.