Writers

Brittany Barkus is a student at Wartburg Theological Seminary. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity degree at Wartburg and hopes to be ordained in Word and Sacrament ministry with the ELCA. Brittany is a graduate of Valparaiso University and a deaconess with the Lutheran Diaconal Association. She has worked with youth of all ages as a public school teacher and in youth ministry roles in churches. After graduating, Brittany served with the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program in Cairns, Australia at a Lutheran school and church. She currently serves as vicar at One in Faith Parish in Northeast Iowa and is passionate about building worship settings that are welcoming and inclusive.

Rev. Ollie Bergh is a pastor in the ELCA. He currently serves Fairbanks Lutheran Church in Alaska. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Pastor Ollie converted to Christianity while studying theatre at Western Oregon University. He has since made it his mission to share with the world what makes Lutherans special. Find Pastor Ollie on Mastodon @pastorollie@alaskan.social and Substack @pastorollie

Miranda Bermes-Goller is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and currently serves as pastor of Spirit of Grace Lutheran-Methodist Church in Hood River, OR. Her time studying at Valparaiso University and Luther Seminary, as well as serving as a long term volunteer at Holden Village were each formative to her understanding of theology and faith in unique ways. As a beloved child of the Triune God, Pastor Miranda believes that she is called to serve and be in relationship with God’s people by abiding with those in pain, advocating for the oppressed, preaching words of gospel and truth, and walking through difficult questions that arise by engaging in intentional and loving conversation in community with one another. In her spare time, Miranda loves spending time with her wife and their four cats, making time for creative hobbies, and getting outside to connect with her body and engage with God’s beautiful creation.

Cogan Blackmon is a native of central Indiana and a graduate of Valparaiso University, where his passions for ministry and facilitation were cultivated. He obtained his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary while going through the Candidacy Process for the ELCA. Most recently, Cogan finished internship at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Glendale, AZ. He and his family are now relocating back home to central Indiana as Cogan awaits his First Call. Leading reflective conversations with congregations and non-profits to increase clarity of mission and shared commitments is some of the work Cogan finds most meaningful. When away from work, Cogan enjoys camping with family, coffee with friends, and spending time with his hands in the soil.

Fiona Carson lives in St. Paul (but is from Minneapolis) and currently works as a Project Manager for the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA). Previously she worked for the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community at St. Olaf College, where she also graduated from in 2018. She is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis and spent a year in Eswatini (a small country in Southern Africa) as part of the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program. She sees faith and justice as fundamentally interconnected and is interested in global Lutheranism. In her free time she likes to spend time in northern Minnesota, listen to music, and laugh with her long-time boyfriend Luc.

yannick-pulver-hopX_jpVtRM-unsplash — Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash

Jasmine DeLara (she/her/hers) is an Education Director who works with children, youth and families at Spirit Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, WI. Jasmine believes that walking alongside people as Jesus did on the Road to Emmaus is her calling in life, helping to build personal relationships with Christ in the next generation. She also currently works as an adjunct faculty member of Luther Seminary, creates and manages all social media platforms for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Conference Extravaganza, and volunteers with JesusFit, a nonprofit in her area that focuses on giving people’s faith a “workout.” Jasmine holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Philanthropic Leadership and Service from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN.

Lindsay Fertig-Johnson is a Lutheran deaconess and fundraising professional passionate about building and sustaining relationships. She is currently the Director of Development at The Festival Center, a justice-focused community center in the Adam’s Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC. Previously, she worked at Concordia College – New York where she was the Director of the Center for Leadership and Service, the Director of Engagement, and Campaign Coordinator over the course of her four year tenure. She holds an Associate of Arts in religion from Cuyahoga Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in global service and theology from Valparaiso University, a Masters of Science in Business Leadership from Concordia College – New York. She is a published artist and a candidate for ordained ministries of Word and Sacrament through the Metro New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a Master of Divinity student at Wartburg Theological Seminary.

Allison Grainger has worked as an early childhood educator in public, private, and parochial schools throughout eastern Iowa and western Illinois. She is currently an adjunct instructor for the Early Childhood Education Online program at Winona State University in Winona, MN. She lives in Illinois with her husband, Daniel, an ELCA pastor, and their two children.

Micah Louwagie (they/he) was raised in southwestern Minnesota on their family dairy farm. They have a Bachelor’s of Religion from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary. Micah currently resides in Dubuque, IA with his wife, Wes (they/them) and two cats. Micah’s passions include transgender theology, baking sourdough bread, good coffee, biking, and admiring how cute their cats are

Wes Kimball is a recent graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary awaiting first call. He is a former math teacher, camp counselor, and youth director. He also teaches lifeguarding classes at bible camps across Minnesota and Wisconsin. He recently moved to Robbinsdale, MN with his wife and they are excited to grow their family with a puppy in the near future.

Juniper Linberry is a recent graduate of Luther Seminary and is awaiting a pastoral call in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are also a consecrated deaconess with the Lutheran Diaconal Association, and their ministry passions include music, preaching, and nurturing community through storytelling. They live with their wife and a very fluffy dog.

DaMisha McFarland-Pollock (she/her) is a final year MDiv student with a concentration in Rural Ministry at Wartburg Theological Seminary. She is currently in the first call process in the Southeast Iowa Synod. She is an eco-womanist theologian who seeks to name the voices in scripture that are often overlooked, misunderstood, or misrepresented so often in sermons and bible studies. She is an ELCA Coach and is currently working on certifications in Creation Care and Discipleship. DaMisha loves to read, take hikes, write poetry, and dance. A belief that we are all God’s children and should be treated accordingly guides her daily interactions with herself and those she encounters.

Paige McGrath (she/her) is a student at Wartburg Theological Seminary, a candidate for Word and Sacrament ministry in the Western Iowa Synod of the ELCA, and a vicar at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City, IA. She previously served as program director at Lutheran Lakeside Camp in Spirit Lake, IA. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Northern Iowa. She has experience teaching children and adults of all ages and abilities. Paige enjoys reading in her hammock, exploring walking and hiking trails, listening to and creating music, and spending time with her family.

Amanda McVann is a recent graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, where she earned her MDiv after completing her M.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in 2020. She currently serves as a RISE AmeriCorps member in Des Moines, Iowa as well as a co-treasurer of the Creston Human Rights Coalition, where she leads DEI training sessions and events as a community leader. She lives in Creston, Iowa with her husband, Evan McVann, and their two dogs, Corrie & Daphne. Her hobbies include continuously learning from NPR podcasts, playing video games with her husband, and comfortably reading alongside her two doggos.

Rev. Evan McVann, a graduate from Valparaiso University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University, is currently serving as Pastor at Salem Lutheran Church in Creston, Iowa. He also serves as the President of the Union County Ministerial Alliance, an ecumenical organization which serves the needs of the wider community. He lives happily with Amanda McVann, his wife of two years, as well as his two dogs, Corrie and Daphne. In his free time, Evan enjoys reading theology, creating board games, and playing video games.

Originally from South Carolina, Mallory Morris has lived in Texas since 2005 and is coming to consider herself a transplant-Texan. Mallory was recently approved for ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Northern-Texas Northern-Louisiana ELCA and is excited for the chance to serve wherever God would lead her! As she waits for the first-call process to unfold, Mallory is taking the opportunity to spend time with her husband (Robert), her dog (Jesse), and her cat (Luther). She’s also taking the opportunity to rediscover her creative, athletic, and nerdy hobbies, which include playing video games, reading, writing, and training to run her 14th half-marathon.

Deacon Amanda Randall (she/they) currently serves at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota working with 6th Graders through Young Adults. They have served in Lutheran Outdoor Ministry sites over the last five years before starting at Peace in December 2021. Amanda is passionate about where the church empowers its people to live out God’s mission in the world with love for neighbor at the center.

Kelly Rayner (She/Her/Hers)

Kelly is a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a Masters in criminal justice. She is currently working as a project manager and has goals to help create reform in the criminal justice system. Along with being a project manager she is in formation to be a Lutheran Deaconess through the Lutheran Diaconal Association. When she is not working or studying, she enjoys hanging out with family and friends, crocheting and knitting, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Pastor Eli Seitz (they/them) graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 2016. They served at Faith Lutheran Church in Massillon, Ohio, from 2016-2022. Currently, Pastor Eli serves as a supply preacher for the Northeastern Ohio Synod. They continue to reside in Massillon, Ohio, with their two cats, and they enjoy reading, baseball, and time with family.

Apu Seyenkulo is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a deep passion for health and wellness for all. Since 2019, Apu has hosted a virtual workout program called Pushing It With Pu for people of all levels of fitness and ranging across all lifespans. Since January 2023, Apu has been serving as the Rehabilitation Director at a nonprofit clinic in Belize, Central America -Hillside Health Care International. She has dedicated her life and career to improving the lives of individuals by restoring hope, mobility and independence to those in need. Apu feels it is her calling to actively participate in community outreach, delivering educational seminars and workshops to raise awareness about the importance of physical activity, injury prevention, and overall well-being.