This New York pastor says his parish lost 44 people to coronavirus
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Our guest speakers on May 13 were Bishop Paul Egensteiner with the Metropolitan New York Synod, Bishop Kristen Kuempel with the Northwestern Intermountain Synod, and Bishop Yehiel Curry with the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. Each shared the unique experience of COVID-19 in their contexts and how they see their people navigating the journey of grief and hope therein.
As an advocate for mutual learning and growth, Bishop Egensteiner “strives to make God the one that people see, and not me,” upholding positive change as the Lutheran Church increases and maintains its inclusive love and care for all of God’s children....Bishop Egensteiner expresses that in “being trustworthy, thoughtful and loving, changes come more easily and with more acceptance. This style leads to the willingness of the community to take greater risks and be more innovative.”
Bishop Kuempel is a passionate supporter of campus and outdoor ministries, believing these are two areas where future faith leaders are born – leaders that will be well-equipped to face the changes that are sweeping across our culture and changing our churches in ways we still don’t entirely understand. She believes that technology is a tool that can be used to create community among vast distances and across various philosophies.
Bishop Curry's life journey informs and influences his apprenticeship model of mentorship which maintains that you should make a friend before you try to make a member because it’s easier to quit on a denomination and harder to quit on a friend.
