Proclaim member Rev. Megan Rohrer has been busy! 

Amalia Vagts, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries executive director recently emailed a few Proclaim members about making “Proclaim” stoles.  The idea had come up at the recent Proclaim Retreat.

A few days later, Megan had already finished making several.

Pastor Megan lives in the Bay Area and is the Assistant night minister at San Francisco Night Ministry and Pastor/Executive Director at Welcome Ministry.  Megan is a member of Proclaim, the professional community for Lutheran pastors, rostered lay leaders and seminarians who publicly identify as LGBTQ.  There are currently 130 members of Proclaim. 

Pastor Megan has made 11 stoles with help from her grandma, Darlene Audus.  Darlene had this to say: “What’s really exciting is that future families won’t have to go through the same struggle Megan did. I never expected the change to come so quickly in the church.  These stoles will help pastors who may not be able to afford $150-200 stoles know that we care about them.”

Pastor Megan will be making red stoles to send to Proclaim pastors being installed or ordained this year.  Megan was one of the 18 extraordinarily ordained Lutheran pastors and remembers the stole that was passed down from person to person at each ordination. After the policy changed, the stole was retired during the first worship service at the inaugural Proclaim retreat.  Megan writes, “I’m excited to continue the tradition of passing on stoles during this more hopeful time.”

Pastor Megan will be creating patterns and instructions for making the stoles, and this information will soon be posted on the ELM website.  Using mostly scrap fabric, Pastor Megan and her grandma will have made 10 stoles for less than $20.  The process to create the stoles takes about 2-3 hours.  For instructions on how to make a Proclaim stole go here. 

Proclaim members are already asking if they can use one for future ordinations, installations, or regular worship services. Thanks to Megan and Grandma Darlene for so quickly creating the stoles.  We can’t wait to see them at upcoming services!