Changes afoot in Minneapolis synod office
Two weeks before the announcement that Bishop Craig Johnson would resign as bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA to take an interim call at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Bishop’s Associate David Wangaard announced that he would take an interim assignment at First Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Wangaard’s primary responsibilities were working with congregations in the north, central, and south conferences, meaning the urban congregations, and overseeing the candidacy committee for the synod.
The Rev. Kelly Chatman, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (ELCA) in north Minneapolis, will take on some of these duties, it was recently announced. He will serve as a consultant to the synod, while maintaining his fulltime load at Redeemer.
“This is an opportunity to take general activities that I already participate in and make them more officially part of my responsibility,” Chatman told Metro Lutheran.
As a pastor of a church in north Minneapolis, he feels like he already is in relationships with many of the clergy and lay leaders there, he said. And Redeemer is already working directly in relationship with Jordan New Life, another northside congregation.
“And I already have a significant connection to Seminary in the Streets; I’ve been involved since its inception,” Chatman explained. “I’m glad now to have a more official role.”
In addition, Chatman will be asked to work with congregations on mission strategies.
Tags: Bishop Craig Johnson, Bob Hulteen, Craig Johnson, David Wangaard, ELCA, First Lutheran Church Detroit Lakes, Jordan New Life, Kelly Chatman, Minneapolis Area Synod, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church Minneapolis, Rev. David Wangaard, Rev. Kelly Chatman, Seminary in the Streets