Interview with Filmmaker and “Intersections” Editing Producer, Mikayla Irle

On September 22nd, 2025, ELCA World Hunger will officially release our short educational documentary, “Intersections: Justice Ministry with ELCA Partners,” for free on YouTube and Vimeo. You can watch a trailer for the film at the link here. “Intersections” explores stories from three ELCA companion ministries, responding to the overlapping root causes of hunger in the United States and around the world.

This an interview with Mikayla Irle, who was the editing producer of “Intersections,” is an experienced documentary filmmaker. She was the primary creative professional supporting the development of this project.

Thank you for taking time to share more about your work, expertise, and professional story. I’m looking forward to this conversation.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself and your work. How do you understand your work as a documentary producer?

Pictured here: Mikayla Irle, a filmmaker interviewed for this blog post, looks up and to her left in a pose.

Mikayla Irle (pictured here) is a documentary filmmaker and the producing editor of “Intersections.”

“Producing” can mean a lot of things on a documentary, from managing the shoot to providing funding, but my role was focused on “writing” the story based on the footage we had and putting in the legwork to creatively fill any gaps. So, I watched all the interviews, put them in order to convey the information clearly, and gave it a beginning, middle and end. I also searched online for music and archival footage to help the stories come alive and wrote any text that appears onscreen. Of course, the team at ELCA World Hunger helped me along the way!

I am a freelance editor, who is, weirdly and happily, living on a Christmas tree farm in Washington State. For about a decade, I worked in New York on bigger-budget films, but I have happily transitioned to working more deliberately on documentary stories that excite me. Anyone who’s got a story to tell about how they’re finding solutions to big struggles in our world…that’s what I love to work on!

What is one of the most lasting lessons you learned–either about yourself or the work of the ELCA and its partners–while producing and editing Intersections that you did not know before?

I’m most proud of the scope of this short film! We covered stories from a rural farming community in Cambodia, an urban US city, and several countries in Central America. We touched on the themes of climate change, political and economic history, racial and gender disparity. While each story could have been a documentary unto itself, I think we managed to tell a short version of each and still connect them to the big theme of hunger.

What are some of the challenges you had to overcome while working on Intersections?

What made me most proud of this documentary is also what made it most challenging: the scope of world hunger is huge! The causes of and solutions to hunger in each story were so different, it was challenging to focus each story so it still connected clearly to the mission of ELCA World Hunger’s work. It wasn’t clear when we began how we would actually connect the stories, but we wanted the audience to learn about each place as a unique example and still get educated on the ELCA philosophical framework. Ultimately, our solution was to have Angela [Galbraith], an advocate, explain the framework between stories and use a graphic of the Earth rotating from location to location to transition us between stories.

If folks are looking for a documentary producer or editor, how can they get ahold of you?

The easiest way to contact me is directly through email! You’re also welcome to check out my work at my website.

mikayla.irle@gmail.com
https://mikaylairle.wixsite.com/editingresume

About the Author

Mikayla Irle is a documentary editor and producer working in the Seattle area. She loves working on big stories about people doing their piece to make the world a better place. Her background is in feature and episodic documentaries that have appeared on HBO, AppleTV, independent cinema screens and more.

Serving God or Wealth? Wrestling with the Parable of the Dishonest Manager

Prepare (This section is preparation for the leader, not content meant for the whole group.)

Our gospel reading for this week is not an easy one. Taking some time to remember the narrative context and who Jesus is speaking to is helpful as we try to untangle—or at least loosen—this knotted parable.

Back in chapter 14, Jesus had dinner with some Pharisees, where he healed a man on the Sabbath and told a parable on hospitality. He continues telling parables and teaching on hospitality and discipleship as he journeys toward Jerusalem. If there is a through line for all the parables and lessons, it is that the kingdom of God is a great reversal of the ways of the world: the humble are exalted and the proud are humbled (Luke 14:7-14); the lost are found and the found are lost (Luke 15:4-7, 11-32); the ones who suffer are comforted and the comfortable suffer (Luke 16:19-31).

It’s not only the Pharisees who hear these teachings of Jesus, though. Along the way, there are also tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15:1), large crowds, and his disciples (Luke 16:1). It is worth considering how each group would have received these teachings.

Our gospel reading for today is a particularly difficult parable because we cannot easily identify a God character, a hero, or an enemy, as we might be tempted to do with other parables. And it seems that Jesus is praising dishonesty in one place and condemning it in another. The work of interpretation here is not straightforward, but our attempts to pull apart the tangled threads are well worth the effort, and your guidance through this process will be a worthy exercise for your group. Challenge yourself to resist the desire to tie it all up in a perfect bow at the end.

Opening Exercise:

Think about a time when you had the choice to do what was right, even though it might cost you. Or the option to do something questionable or rule-breaking that would benefit you. How did you decide what to do? Did you get caught? If you had it to do over again, what would you do?

Text Read Aloud:

Luke 16:1-13

Article

A compass can only point in one direction, just as we can only place our trust in one thing. As Luther reminds us in the Large Catechism: Whatever you set your heart on and put your trust in—that is truly your god.

On September 10th, the answer to the question, “Who is the wealthiest person in the world?” briefly changed from Elon Musk to Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, a software company that focuses on cloud computing and database technology. You can learn more about how that happened and who Ellison is in this article.

We, especially as Americans, have a fascination with superlatives and wealth. Put them together, and we want to know it all: How did they get so wealthy? What can I learn from them? Can I do what they did, if even on a smaller scale?

Since the fascination is almost universal, it’s no surprise that many news outlets offered takes on Ellison’s wealth and how he earned it. They point to his business and how it compares to competitors. They make connections between Ellison and Musk, President Trump, and Oracle’s competitors and contract partners.

Even as Christians, we cannot deny that wealth—or the lack of it—has a grip on us. We are taught to trust in God over all else and build up treasure in heaven, but the security wealth provides is difficult to set aside. It keeps us chasing bigger, better, and more.

It seems the manager in our parable was trying to obtain his own slice of wealth and security, even though it did not belong to him. He was afraid that when he lost his job he would be left in poverty with no prospects. So he took things into his own hands. He chose to exploit what he did have—his fleeting power and influence—to make friends for himself, hoping they would feel obligated to help him after he was fired.

We expect the master (the same word as Lord in the language of the New Testament) to speak for Jesus and scold the manager’s shrewdness, warning his audience of Pharisees, sinners, tax collectors, disciples, and ultimately us, not to do the same. But that’s not what happens. Instead, the manager is “commended” (Luke 16:8) for his shrewdness. Even more, the master almost seems to chastise “children of the light” for not being so shrewd.

But the story does not end there. Jesus concludes by saying, “You cannot serve God and wealth” (Luke 16:13). This is more of what we expect, but it does not fit perfectly with the lesson of the parable, does it?

In a series of teachings and parables highlighting the reversal of the kingdom of God compared with the ways of the world, this story prompts questions about how we faithfully live in a world driven by wealth and the pursuit of it. Perhaps we will find it equally comforting and discouraging that this tension has persisted for so long.

Reflective Questions

What drives the dishonest manager to try to curry favor—that is, gain the approval or support—of the people who owed money to his master?
Who is lifted up as the example, the “children of this age” or the “children of the light? Is it one or the other or do we have something to learn from both?
What does it mean or look like to serve wealth?
How can you determine if a certain choice would serve God rather than feeding the pursuit of wealth?

Closing Activity

Give your group members a few moments to reflect on what gives them a sense of security outside of God. You can invite them to close their eyes and picture what comes to mind. Or make a list on a small piece of paper—whatever you have available.
After a few moments, invite them to either physically crumple the paper in their fist. If they made the list in their mind, to clench their hands into fists as if holding it. Then, invite them to silently ask God to help them let go of those things, dropping the paper in the garbage or simply releasing their hands.
Encourage them to pause for a few seconds with their hands released to appreciate the feeling of relaxation.

Final Prayer

God our Provider,

You made us and you sustain us every day of our lives. Show us your way and lead us to follow it, even when we’re scared, even when we are tempted, even when we are caught up in comparison and feelings of not being or having enough. Yours is the only way to true freedom. In your holy name we pray, Amen.

Bio

Sami Johnson is a pastor in the ELCA and has been ordained for 11 years. She is also a military spouse to a Navy Chaplain and currently on leave from call, caring for her family while her spouse is stationed in Key West, FL. Sami loves practicing hand embroidery, especially making ridiculously detailed felt applique Christmas stockings for her whole family.

Interview with Young Adults in Global Mission Alumna, Ashlyn Rhyne

This an interview with Ashlyn Rhyne, a recent alumna of the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program, who served in Cambodia. Rhyne worked primarily with the Lutheran Hope Cambodia Organization (LHCO), who features in the first part of “Intersections.” In addition, she played a key role supporting the production of the film on the ground, coordinating videography, translation, and interviews. This interview was conducted while she was still working in Cambodia.

Thank you for taking time to tell us your story of work alongside our partners in Cambodia, Ashlyn. I’m looking forward to this conversation.

While in Cambodia you’ve spent much of your time accompanying Lutheran Hope Cambodia Organization (LHCO). Can you tell us a little bit about LHCO’s work and what you appreciate most about it?

Ashlyn Rhyne, photo provided by author

Lutheran Hope Cambodia Organization (LHCO) is an NGO that serves vulnerable communities in Cambodia through development programs that prioritize human dignity. The main office is in Phnom Penh, and others are in various provinces.

What I appreciate most about LHCO’s work are the people. This year, I have mainly worked in the Phnom Penh office but have also gotten the opportunity to visit other offices. Through these times of accompaniment, I can tell that those who work for LHCO are doing it because they deeply care about the communities they are walking alongside. They are passionate about implementing impactful programs, leading relevant training, finding appropriate funding, and simply completing their everyday work. The positive energy they put into the work then trickles into those they help.

I am continually inspired by the work of LHCO, and I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from them.

Speaking of accompaniment—the ELCA theology of walking with communities as partners in the gospel—could you speak about how you understand “accompaniment”? How have you seen it in person since you began your ministry in Cambodia?

To me, accompaniment is walking alongside my siblings in Christ as we learn from each other, love, yet challenge one another and most importantly, embrace the joy that surrounds us.

Before my YAGM year, I thought of accompaniment on a much larger scale, seeing it more as a series of grand gestures. However, in Cambodia, I have realized that while it can be seen in grand gestures, accompaniment is an everyday act. I feel it when my co-workers step in to translate a conversation from Khmer to English for me. I notice it when strangers help each other cross the busy city streets. My cohort members and I walk hand-in-hand as we journey through our year of service together. I feel it each time I am offered food to try or taught a new Khmer word. I experienced it each day during a week-long holiday, Khmer New Year, when a friend invited me to travel with her family. Accompaniment finds us in the smallest of things. May we continue to find it too, as we learn, love and grow together.

As you know, ELCA World Hunger is preparing to release a short documentary about intersectional justice called Intersections: Justice Ministry with ELCA Partners that, in part, features LHCO’s ministry. You had a large role in bringing that film to audiences in the ELCA network. Could you tell us what your part in the project was?

I worked alongside Mr. Yu, who specializes in IT and communications at LHCO. Prior to filming, I assisted Mr. Yu in creating questions for each interview. We then traveled to two sites in one of the provinces where LHCO has an office. At each site Mr. Yu filmed drone footage, while I captured footage on my camera. During each interview, I listened and watched the camera to make sure the audio and framing stayed consistent, while Mr. Yu asked the questions. Following the filming and interviewing process, Mr. Yu translated the questions and answers from Khmer to English. After Mr. Yu translated the script, I assisted with grammar and spelling corrections. I am honored with the opportunity to share these stories alongside Mr. Yu and I am thankful for how our relationship grew in trust and teamwork.

Finally, to take a phrase from my colleague Regina Banks in the ELCA’s advocacy team (and host of the ELCA Advocacy podcast, “Here I Pod”), where have you seen the Gospel lately?

During my time with LHCO, I have assisted with a new project – Fullness of Life for Children and Youth of the City (FLUCY). As I near the end of my YAGM year, and my time with LHCO, I recently attended the last two FLUCY events before I leave. The youth know little English, and I know little Khmer. This limits our conversations, but, this is how I have learned that connection overrides any language barrier. Through these youth I have learned that one does not need language to communicate. It is a beautiful thing really – to feel so much love and joy from people who you have not had a full conversation with.

I see the Gospel through these youth. I feel it in our interactions during games, when we share meals, or simply take photos. I see the Gospel through their leaders, teachers and guardians. One of the main activities each youth group coordinates is a service project in their own communities. They are constantly learning through FLUCY and then choose to share what they are learning. The youth share their love, care and joy with me, and those around them.

Thank you, again, for your ministry, Ashlyn. It has been a pleasure to learn from you and to celebrate the ministry of LHCO through “Intersections.”

About the Author

Ashlyn Rhyne served as a Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, volunteering with Lutheran Hope Cambodia Organization (LHCO). She grew up in Lincolnton, NC and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May of 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in media and journalism. Following YAGM, she plans to serve as a short-term recruiter for the program.

Index of the September 2025 Issue of Administration Matters

Issue 101 of Administration Matters

Living Lutheran is back in print!

Throughout the past few months, the staff of Living Lutheran has been working with a new fulfillment company for the print magazine, and we’re excited to share our new subscription system with you. If you’ve already signed up to receive the print edition of Living Lutheran but have not yet set up your subscription, or if you are interested in subscribing, follow the instructions below to get started.

Visit livinglutheran.org/subscribe to choose an individual, group or gift subscription, or visit the individual subscription page directly to sign up. We are grateful for your patience while we developed our new system. Thanks to your loyal readership, Living Lutheran continues to share stories of God’s people living their faith — online and once again, in print!

Guidance on Updated DHS Federal Nonprofit Grant Program Terms & Conditions

In light of recent updates made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to the Fiscal Year 2025 Nonprofit Security Grant Program’s Standard Terms and Conditions relating to immigration matters, DEI, DEIA, and boycotts, the ELCA has provided the attached guidance and encourage all ELCA-affiliated entities, including congregations and synods, to carefully review these changes and consult with their legal counsel when considering applying for any federal award(s). >More

Portico announces 2026 benefit changes and new health options

During the 2026 enrollment this fall, sponsoring organizations will choose from four new ELCA-Primary health benefit options, designed to offer simpler comparisons and sustainable costs. These streamlined options were developed through Portico’s Benefits reExamined initiative to help meet the evolving needs of our whole church.

Portico emailed sponsoring organizations and plan members in August with all the details, including rate and benefit changes. If your organization provides Portico benefits, please discuss 2026 health benefit options with your plan members and make your election on EmployerLink, Oct. 1-14. The new Benefit Cost Estimator tool and Decision Guide are now available for registered EmployerLink users.

Webinar: “Creating Accessible Spaces on a Budget” Monday, Nov. 17, 7-8 p.m. Central time

A church should be a place where everyone feels welcome and included, regardless of their ability. But making your facilities more accessible doesn’t have to break the bank. Join us for this practical and inspiring webinar, designed specifically for churches seeking to improve their accessibility with limited resources. We’ll explore affordable strategies to enhance physical, sensory and digital accessibility in your church buildings and programs. From simple upgrades to creative adaptations, you’ll gain tools and ideas that can be implemented right away — no large renovation budget required. Register today.

In this workshop, you’ll learn about:

• Low-cost improvements that make a big impact.

• How to prioritize accessibility changes.

• Ways to engage your congregation in accessibility efforts.

A guide to cybersecurity best practices for digital giving

As organizations increasingly rely on digital platforms for fundraising, donations and giving, their staff must prioritize cybersecurity to safeguard both donations and donor data. To get started, review the following tips and information, which will help your organization mitigate potential threats and risks associated with digital money transactions. >More

Meetings make a difference

Meetings create space for participation and genuine input. Having a planned conversation with a staff member, church volunteer or ministry group lets them know that what they have to say is important. When leaders use the agenda to foster dialogue, people will know that these leaders care about what they have to say, and they will tell that leader what they really think. >More

Partner Organization Resources and Events

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. ELCA Worship also features resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers in a monthly blog post.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

New FREE Arrangement from Lutheran Summer Music by Anne Krentz Organ

Download a new free arrangement from Lutheran Summer Music 2025 by Anne Krentz Organ: Beach Spring for solo instrument with keyboard accompaniment. Based on the well-known shape-note hymn tune, this versatile work is this year’s installment in the LSM Hymn Tune Project and can be performed either in full or as individual movements. Listen and download for free at LSMacademy.org/lsmpress.

Vi Messerli Memorial Lectures in Church Music

For All the Saints
October 19-21
Concordia University Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Join us for another exciting year of celebrating the Church’s song at the Vi Messerli Memorial Lectures in Church Music. This year’s presenters include: John D. Witvliet, founding director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI, and currently professor of theology and worship at Belmont University; noted organist and composer John Behnke, a Festival of Hymns by David W. Rogner, presented by Concordia-Chicago’s Kapelle, and the choirs of Grace Lutheran Church and First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, and organist and composer Brenda Portman. Register today for this and much more!

Music that Makes Community

Rooted in Christian contemplative and activist traditions, Music That Makes Community envisions a liberative culture that empowers individuals and communities to claim and use the power of singing to heal our spirits, nurture our common lives, and work for justice.

Introductory Spaces – Meet Music that Makes Community at these events and conferences.

CMP Converging 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, October 16-18.

Training Events — Join us at the following events for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing.

October 3-5: Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin
October 12: Three-day Retreat in Albuquerque, N.M.
November 7-9: Workshop in Waco, Texas
February 6-8, 2026: Two-Day Retreat in Raleigh, N.C.
Details and more in-person events are being planned. Please stay tuned!

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles on a variety of topics. The latest presents Songs for Justice.

Job Postings on Music That Makes Community website.

Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical Christian community seeking to support seekers, whether baptized or not, and those who accompany them on their journey of faith through the catechumenal process.

You are invited to visit the re-designed website to learn more about who we are and how to can assist you with resources, training, and other information about how we may work with you to connect through your commitment to the movement of faith through the sacrament of baptismal living as disciples of Christ.

Longer Tables for the Lost and Found

Prepare (This section is preparation for the leader, not content meant for the whole group.)

The heart of this passage is the pair of parables about the lost sheep and the lost coin. Yet the two sentences before them provide essential context for understanding the stories Jesus tells. Crowds continue to follow him, but this particular group receives special mention: tax collectors and sinners. It’s worth unpacking the baggage these titles carry. Tax collectors were seen as corrupt, wealthy collaborators with Rome, collecting what Rome demanded—and often a little extra for themselves. “Sinners” is a broader term used throughout the New Testament to describe anyone with a reputation for wrongdoing and an unwillingness to repent. In short, these are society’s outcasts. And it is precisely these people with whom Jesus chooses to share his meals.

This is not new in Luke. A major theme of the gospel is table fellowship. Meals are never just meals; they are moments of revelation, teaching, reversal, and inclusion. Luke uses shared meals to reveal whom Jesus welcomes, challenges, and brings into God’s kingdom. This is why Jesus is accused of being “a glutton and a drunkard” (Luke 7:34): he eats with anyone and everyone.

What follows from the religious leaders’ complaint—that Jesus welcomes and eats with those he shouldn’t—is Jesus’ explanation of why he does so, told in story form. The parables highlight the extravagant welcome and relentless pursuit of outsiders. In an agrarian society like Jesus’, no shepherd would realistically leave ninety-nine sheep to search for one; the cost of losing more would be too great. Likewise, the woman’s persistence is underscored by the painstaking tasks she undertakes to ensure her coin is found. In both cases, the conclusion is the same: celebration. Each throws a party that seems excessive. And yet that is exactly what God’s welcome, love, and grace in Jesus are—extravagant, relentless, excessive.

Opening Exercise

Watch this news segment on a special lunch served in Denver, CO. After watching the video, participants get in pairs or groups of three and talk about a meal they shared that was meaningful to them and why?

Read Aloud

Luke 15:1-10

Longer Tables for the Lost and Found

Mile Long Table in Denver – Credit: Longer Tables

In late July over 3,400 people ate at the longest table in the United States. People from all over joined together for a meal. The event was put on by Longer Tables, a nonprofit whose mission is to “bring people from all walks of life together to create connection and belonging through shared meals.” Tom Jones, the founder, calls the table “the most powerful connector.”

He’s right. Longer Tables wants all people—no matter their story, background, or identity—to connect, be seen, and feel like they belong. In a time of deep polarization, rising loneliness, and widespread isolation, this work is vital.

But here’s the thing: as beautiful as that vision is, it’s not new. The church has known and practiced this for nearly two millennia. And perhaps no one knew it better than Jesus.

Luke tells us again and again that Jesus shared meals with people. So much so that he earned a reputation for being a glutton (Luke 7:34). And it wasn’t just that he ate with his closest friends—he ate with all sorts of people. Poor fishermen. Women. Massive crowds. High-ranking religious leaders. And yes, tax collectors and sinners; the ones society saw as corrupt, immoral, or beyond redemption. These were the very people Jesus welcomed at his table. And that made the religious leaders grumble.

That’s where our passage in Luke 15 picks up. When accused of eating with the wrong people, Jesus explains why through two parables: the lost sheep and the lost coin. Both stories showcase God’s relentless pursuit of those who have wandered off or been pushed aside. No shepherd would risk ninety-nine sheep for one. No woman would throw a party over finding a single coin. Yet Jesus insists this is exactly how God works—going to ridiculous lengths to seek, welcome, and celebrate the lost.

In that light, Jesus is doing something even more radical than Longer Tables. He made sure that the very people no one wanted at the table—the outcasts, the ones with the wrong reputation, the ones everyone else avoided—were not only invited but present. And when they were found and welcomed, heaven itself rejoiced.

That raises a hard but important question for us: Who is sitting at your table? Who isn’t? Who should be? With school in full swing, this is the perfect time to pause and ask: Who have we left out? Who needs to hear, through us, a word of welcome and belonging?

Maybe it’s the person with whom you disagree politically. Perhaps it’s someone who has hurt you or carries a reputation you’d rather avoid. Or it’s the neighbor who feels forgotten. Whoever comes to mind, remember: these are the very people Jesus sought out and welcomed.

That welcome is still the model for us today. It’s the kind of connection the world is starving for. And when it happens—when the lost are found, when the table is extended, when grace is shared—it’s always worth celebrating.

Reflection Questions

What is the mission of Longer Tables, and how does it connect people?
How does Jesus’ practice of table fellowship go even further than what Longer Tables is doing?
Of all the characters in the passage (Jesus, tax collector, sinner, Pharisee, lost sheep, etc), with whom do you identify in the passage and why?
If Jesus welcomed those society avoided, who are we be called to welcome to our own tables today?

Closing Activity

Try this guided meditation with your group:

Find a quiet, comfortable space and close your eyes. Imagine a table in front of you—it could be your kitchen table, where you eat lunch at school, or even the longest table you can dream of.

First, picture the people who normally sit at your table. Family, friends, the ones you know and love. Give thanks for them. (Pause)
Now, imagine the people Jesus often welcomed—the ones who were overlooked, avoided, or judged. Who comes to mind for you? Hold them in prayer. (Pause)
Finally, picture Jesus at the table. See him smiling, passing food, making space, and reminding you that there is room for everyone—including you. (Pause)

Take a deep breath in. Hold it briefly. Breathe all the way out. Open your eyes.

Final Prayer

Jesus, help us to make room at our tables the way you make room at yours. Amen

Bio

Cogan Blackmon is a pastor who believes the church is at its best when it listens closely to the stories people carry. As Associate Pastor of Cross of Grace Lutheran Church in New Palestine, Indiana, and editor of Faith Lens, he explores the intersection of scripture, culture, and everyday life, sharing reflections that help readers see faith in fresh ways. Outside of ministry and editing, you’ll likely find him with a cup of coffee in hand, exploring local food and beverage venues with his family, or listening to folk and Americana music.

Churchwide Assembly Recap: Disability Ministries

For five days, hundreds of ELCA Lutherans descended on Phoenix, AZ, for the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. This gathering is set to do the business of the church: to receive reports from the churchwide officers, leaders, and units, to consider proposals from synod assemblies, elect officers and board members, establish ELCA churchwide policy, and to adopt a budget. The business is grounded in opportunities to worship together, to network with ELCA partners, and to live into our calling as the church for the sake of the world.

Whenever you put that many Lutherans in a room, one can expect worship will be holy and moving, and that is exactly what each worship experience was. From dynamic preaching to moving songs, each service had something for everyone. A highlight of worship was to see the diversity of leadership, including leaders with disabilities. While there were many times accessibility came into play, the worship space was laid out in a way that wheelchairs and walkers were not forced to be in the back. Extra space throughout gave room for those who found the small chairs constricting, and a ramp on one side of the stage was something that wasn’t an afterthought or just used by those who need it.

One of the major things that the assembly was tasked with was the election of both a Presiding Bishop and a Secretary. Giving thanks for Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Secretary Deacon Sue Rothmeyer, we began to look towards what the next six years might look like under new leadership. From the very beginning, it was clear that our next leaders need to be bold in their proclamation of the gospel, bold in their service to the church, and ready for an ever-changing church. As the voting process continued, those who advanced were clear in their commitment to uplifting lay leaders, developing new ways of inviting more folks to the table and doubling down on our identity as beloved children of God. In the end, Bishop Yehiel Curry of the Metro Chicago Synod was elected as our Presiding Bishop, and Pastor CeeCee Mills from the North Carolina Synod was elected as Secretary. Both of these elections are a first for the ELCA, not only did we elect two BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) leaders, but all three of the top elected positions for the ELCA are held by diverse individuals.

Throughout the rest of the business of the church, a few things happened quietly that are important to note. The following memorials, resolutions sent from synod assemblies to the Churchwide Assembly were passed en bloc but could have an impact on our communities:

A5: Youth Gathering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
- Giving thanks to the Minneapolis Area Synod, the churchwide assembly requests that the ELCA Youth Gathering team explore ways to implement a racial equity audit for the Youth Gathering to address barriers for participation with the goal of increasing and strengthening the leadership of youth participants with persons of color and intersecting identities.
B4: Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection
- Giving thanks to the Minneapolis Area Synod and the St. Paul Area Synod, the churchwide assembly urges synods to include the protection of children and vulnerable adults in their trainings for rostered ministers and other leaders in their synod and to adopt policies to ensure that all leaders who are working with children and vulnerable adults are protected, like ensuring training is done and background checks have been completed.

While neither of these memorials speaks directly to people with disabilities, they do speak to an urge in the church to be more aware of how our identities are played out and to provide resources to better live into them. Having served on the tAble planning team the last two cycles, I am excited to see how the ELCA Youth Gathering teams take to heart not only addressing barriers to individuals of color but also to youth with disabilities. What would it look like to see better representation throughout the entire Youth Gathering that reminds us that we are not just included be belong there?

As a church, we have done a good job of including people with disabilities; we have added ramps to stages and ensured accessible bathrooms are available, but we have only begun the work that is needed to move from being included to belonging. As an observer, I witnessed the inaccessibility of events like this, from the long hallways of a convention center to the assumptions made by others, frustrations for some ran high. The desire to be a more inclusive church is there, but we have failed in many ways. With the election of new leadership, it is our time to hold our elected officers accountable for the things they say and do. One of the things that continued to be a theme throughout the week together was our calling to be the church for the sake of the world, our calling to live boldly in service to a world longing for healing, justice, and hope. There were many missed opportunities to make this assembly more accessible. There were moments of changing direction after folks spoke up, but we have to do better, and I hope that we can move from inclusion to belonging.

Pastor Mack Patrick (he/they) is currently serving as Assistant to the Bishop in the Northern Illinois synod, where he oversees communications, stewardship, and youth ministry and is one of the newest members of the ELCA Disability Ministries advisory team.

Reflection: Disability and Mental Health Advocacy

John Christensen is a life-long ELCA Lutheran, currently working with the World Council of Churches as a Project Officer in the Churches’ Commission for Health & Healing, and the WCC’S Ecumenical Disability Advocates’ Network (EDAN)

John Christensen I am the son of not one but two Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors. I have been a part of the church my whole life. I currently work as a project officer for Mental Health Advocacy for the World Council of Churches (WCC), as well as being one of the WCC staff members responsible for the Ecumenical Disability Advocates’ Network (EDAN). It is that last role that makes me the most proud because as a person living with a life-long disability, being in a disability advocacy role is a powerful thing. “No conversation about us, without us,” right?

Working in a transversal space between disability advocacy and mental health advocacy is also an important thing to celebrate because, as I keep reminding people, “You cannot have a conversation about disability without having a conversation about mental health, and you shouldn’t have a conversation about mental health without having one about disability.”

It is estimated by the World Health Organization that 1.3 billion people or approximately 16% of the world’s population experience significant disabilities. Additionally, even pre-pandemic, nearly 970 million people (12.5% of the world’s population) struggled with a diagnosable mental health condition, with that number rising significantly in recent years (WHO, 2019 & 2023). Yet still, in many spaces (even church spaces!), both mental health and disability are nearly taboo topics.

Given the reality that mental healthcare is not readily available everywhere, churches have a unique and vital opportunity to become a safe space for those in need. But we cannot simply say we are a safe space; we must put it into action. Too much of the time, churches preach living a “God-ly” life and that can get members stuck in thinking that we need to be “perfect” when it is really our imperfection that draws us closer to God. We may look around our church and think, “I am the only one struggling. Everyone else’s lives seem good. I must be doing something wrong.” The reality is, the only thing wrong that we’re doing is thinking that we are alone or that God loves us less because we’re struggling.

Jesus’ disciples weren’t oligarchs, politicians or celebrities. He ate with sinners and the unclean, and he brought tax collectors and fishermen to be some of his closest advisors.

“(The leper said,) ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing’ ” (Mark 1:40-41, New International Version).

Though some may interpret it differently, I believe that Jesus was not indignant of this man of physical and societal ‘uncleanness’ coming near to him – but to the fact that the man questioned Jesus’ willingness to heal him. If we are to “(i)mitate God (…) in everything (we) do,” then why do we so easily shy away from those we too easily categorize as different (i.e. unclean) in comparison to ourselves? (Ephesians 5:1)

If we do not have love for our neighbor who we can see, how can we then say that we have love for our God, who we cannot see? The challenge, then, is this – to see God in our neighbor. “Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me,” says the Lord, “you failed to do it to me.” (Matthew 25:45, The Message).

May we work harder every day to not just see but seek out God in everyone we meet, trusting that it will enrich not only our own life but those in our communities and our world.

Confession and Repentance for the Sins of Patriarchy and Sexism

08.01.25 – Phoenix, Arizona – Friday’s plenaries end with an evening prayer at the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix.

On Friday evening August 1 as part of the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly, the assembly’s worship included a confession and repentance for the sins of patriarchy and sexism. This was, in part, to fulfill an implementing resolution to the 2019 ELCA social statement, Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action.

As we reflect upon this moment, it’s important to consider the meanings of confession and repentance. The following background is provided in the resource Forgive Us and Transform Us for the Life of the World, p. 46.

What is Confession?

Luther teaches us that confession has two parts that work together: we tell God our sins and we receive God’s forgiveness (Small Catechism, Part V: Confession). When we confess, we’re living out our faith — we’re being honest about the ways we’ve hurt ourselves, the neighbor, and creation, by what we’ve done and what we’ve failed to do. Picture it like standing in a bright light; everything is visible, but instead of this provoking fear, it becomes freeing. No matter what you confess, God’s love will never abandon you — it’s a promise.

What is Repentance?

Repentance goes deeper than just feeling bad about what we’ve done wrong. It’s about truly changing how we live and act. Think of it as making a complete turn — away from harmful ways and toward God’s way of love and justice. To be clear, we don’t make this turn by our own strength. The Holy Spirit does this work in us, giving us courage to think and live differently. Luther explains in the Smalcald Articles that true repentance includes both truly being sorry for our sins and deeply believing that Christ forgives any and all sins (Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article III). This coming together of being and believing leads to the change in how we act and live; it leads to transformation.

The text for the Confession used at the Churchwide Assembly is provided below. We understand that the use at the Churchwide Assembly is only the beginning of an ongoing process. You are invited to implement in your context as desired. Also, you are encouraged to read and share the full resource, Forgive Us and Transform Us for the Life of the World. You can also learn more about the ELCA’s work with Gender Justice and Women’s Empowerment. You’ll see on this website that the Forgive Us and Transform Us resource is available for download in both English and Spanish.

Confession and Repentance for the Sins of Patriarchy and Sexism

Good and gracious God, you have created us for flourishing and abundance, yet we deny and diminish the promises you have made to us and all creation.

We come before you in confession and repentance for the sins of patriarchy and sexism, seeking forgiveness and transformation.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence for reflection.

Creator of the cosmos, we confess our complicity in the sins of patriarchy. You envision communities built on mutuality, wonder, and neighbor justice, but we entangle ourselves in systems of oppression that harm individuals and stunt our ability to imagine abundant life for all.