We celebrate with Proclaim member Angela Joy Nelson who received a call to Christ our Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Chatham, NY this past weekend!  

This is good news for Christ our Emmanuel, Angela, and for our whole church.  The above passage from 1st Corinthians is part of the service of ordination to Word and Sacrament ministry and a reminder of the call we share – serving Christ and stewarding God’s mysteries.

Angela graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2012 and has been living in New England while awaiting call.  Angela also serves as a chaplain for Proclaim, the professional community for publicly identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders, seminarians and candidates.

As we celebrate Angela, we also call to mind others who are on this path.  In the last few months we’ve had almost a dozen Proclaim seminarians approved for ordination.  In a few weeks, February 18 & 19, this group of seminarians will go through the ELCA assignment process, determining the geographical area of the church where they might serve.  During this exciting, stressful, at times quite mysterious, and hopefully spirit-filled process, we hold all these candidates in prayer.  ELM’s Accompaniment program will be holding two conference video calls after the assignment process with approved candidates.  We are eager to hear how the process went and where people are assigned as they await a call.  Join us in praying for these candidates, those awaiting call, courageous faith communities, Christ our Emmanuel, and Angela Joy Nelson, as we all continue to serve Christ and seek to be good stewards of God’s abundant mysteries.