ELCA Bishop Update: A Longer Table
6 August 2025
Thomas Edison – first successful electric light bulb.
Neil Armstrong– first man on the moon.
Marie Curie – first person (and still the only woman) to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.
Amelia Earhart—first transatlantic solo flight by a woman.
First non-white, second-career Presiding Bishop of the ELCA… Bishop Yehiel Curry. (See his picture with Ethan Miller, our COS Director of Youth & Family, who attended the Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, AZ last week.)
Dear faith friends, last week I wrote about how almost 1000 voting members of the ELCA sought the Holy Spirit’s discernment as they elected a new presiding Bishop to lead our church for the next six years.
After five rounds, the will of the Spirit and people emerged: Bishop Yehiel Curry who is currently serving as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. (How about that?! After our Roman Catholic sibling Conference of Cardinals elect a Chicago south-sider as Pope, Lutherans elect another White Sox fan to lead the ELCA! As a paperboy of the Chicago Tribune and living about as far south as you can go in Chicago proper—110th & S. Hoyne—I’m chuckling!)
As with the new pope, the process of discernment was rigorous.
Any ordained clergy could be nominated by eccesiastical ballot. After almost one hundred names were whittled down to the final eight, these final candidates repeatedly addressed the assembly with their visions of the church.
The nominees represented different ministry histories, genders, sexualities, and ethnic heritages.
But I’m glad and confident that Bishop Curry emerged not because of any descriptors but because of his compelling articulation of Jesus’ Gospel and vision of what God is calling the ELCA to be in these next 6 years. The best candidate prevailed.
Yet, it is true that within his personhood, Presiding Bishop (Elect) Curry will signify some “firsts” for the ELCA.
The first bishop of color. The first bishop who began ministry as a second career. The first bishop who started serving as a TEEM candidate (pastors green-lighted for serving a specific congregation) but then went back to secure the Master of Divinity degree, typical for the vast majority of ELCA pastors.
Might some of the “firsts” brought by Bishop Curry cause pause, if not raised eyebrows? Just as Pope Leo being the first pope from the United States ruffled a feather or two in parts of Catholicism? Our first lesson from Ecclesiastes on Sunday spoke to possible anxiety in transition. What will it mean that he’s a man who follows 12 years of female leadership (Bishop Liz Eaton)? What will it mean that he started as a mission developer and not in a traditional call?
While a few might have questions about the new twists of our new bishop, most rejoice, even amid the questions.
For instance, let’s pray that Bishop Curry brings fresh insight as to how we make progress on the embarrassing reality that the ELCA is the least racially-diverse denomination in our country. (Some point out that most Lutheran immigrants came from primarily white, northern European countries and these farmers settled in the midwest where ethnic diversification emerged less rapidly. But that argument only goes so far.)
We rejoice it’s a new day. And a new table. The table of Jesus is expanding.
More evidence of the sincerity of our Lutheran “All Are Welcome” proclamation of grace. More proof we believe St. Paul’s admonition that in Christ, there is no longer division and labels, but connection in Christ. Indeed, as Pastor Wes referenced one of our hymns on Sunday, “A Longer Table.”
Here are the lyrics:
Build a longer table, not a higher wall, feeding those who hunger, making room for all.
Feasting together, stranger turns to friend, Christ breaks walls to pieces; false divisions end.
All Creation Sings Hymnal, #1062.
May Bishop Curry’s election be a celebration of the ELCA’s “build a longer table” attitude and commitment, following our Lord’s example.
Friend, may the table you sit at with Jesus keep getting longer, and not shorter, this year as well!
To watch a mini-intro of Bishop Curry, click here:
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Fritz
Let us pray: Dear God, bless our new ELCA Presiding Bishop Curry with an extra measure of wisdom, energy and faithfulness. Thanks for raising him as the best pastor for this moment in our Lutheran life together. Empower him to guide our church to thrive with “build a longer table” zest, that we might enact the Great Commission, Jesus’ hope that we would baptize and reach out with grace to all kinds of people in all kinds of places. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for reflection:
- Over the years, has your personal table grown longer or shorter? How?
- What’s one of your prayers for Bishop Curry and the ELCA?
Even though you weren’t elected to a new office last week, what’s one thing you can do to help COS (or your own home congregation) thrive in its mission this year?