Staff Directory

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

– 1 Corinthians 12:12

Our Bishop

Bishop Wayne Miller

(He/Him)

Bishop Emeritus Wayne N. Miller serves the synod part time until a new bishop is elected at the 2026 Synod Assembly. Bishop Miller served as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod from 2007 to 2019. Growing out of 23 years of congregational ministry, his administration was marked by a deep commitment to help the congregations and communities of the synod to embrace renewal, growth, and positive change.

In addition to leading the synod program staff, he preached and taught regularly in the synod’s congregations and shared his perspective and insight in his column for the synod supplement in the Living Lutheran.

Throughout his tenure, he was a member of the ELCA Conference of Bishops Task Force on Immigration Reform and was for 10 years chair of the committee on Ministry Among People in Poverty. He has served as a member of the governing boards of Advocate Health Care, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, the We Raise Foundation, and is currently a trustee of Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.

Prior to his election in 2007, Bishop Miller served as the senior pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora (1994-2007). During this time worship attendance grew from 250 to 550. In addition, he facilitated social outreach and community involvement through broad-based community organizing and various social service ministries.

He was born in Chicago in 1950, and has lived most of his life in the Chicagoland area. He holds an undergraduate degree in music, and for a time was a professional member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. He has been married to Pamela Miller since 1980; they have two grown sons.

In addition to his previous parish duties, Miller was a member of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod Council. He has been an adjunct instructor of Christian Thought at Aurora University, a founding board member of Suicide Prevention Services of the Fox Valley, and a member and presenter for a special judicial commission on Domestic Violence in the Faith Community.

Email Bishop Miller

773.248.0021 ext. 211

Pastoral Staff

Pastor Carla Thompson Powell

(She/Her)

Associate to the Bishop, Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM)

Relates to the South Conference

Talk to Pastor Carla about:

  • Synod-Authorized Worshipping Communities (SAWCs), mission developers and new mission congregations
  • Evangelical Mission and congregational vitality
  • Interim ministry
  • Rostered Ministers Conference
  • Mission Table

Email Pastor Carla

773.248.0021

Pastor Sunitha Mortha

(She/Her)

Associate to the Bishop and Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB)

Relates to the Central and West Conferences

Talk to Pastor Sunitha about:

  • Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
  • Synod boundaries training
  • Our companion synod
  • Diakonia
  • Middle East Working Group, Asian and Middle Eastern Strategy Teams

Email Pastor Sunitha

773.248.0021

Pastor Kathy Nolte

(She/Her)

Associate to the Bishop

Relates to the Northwest, Northeast and Southwest Conferences

Talk to Pastor Kathy about:

  • Three Pathways, which provides accompaniment to transitioning congregations
  • Reconciling in Christ and LGBTQIA+ communities
  • Environmental Energy Loan program

Email Pastor Kathy

773.248.0021

Pastor Nathan Klein

(He/Him)

Associate to the Bishop

Relates to the Near West and North Conferences

Talk to Pastor Nathan about:

  • Mobility process for rostered ministers
  • Worship resources, ordinations
  • First Call Theological Education
  • Synod Constitution Review Committee
  • Pulpit supply

Email Pastor Nathan

773.248.0021

Pastor Maria Rojas-Banda

(She/Her)

LatinX Strategy Coordinator

   

Talk to Pastor Maria about:

  • Latinx Strategy
  • Churchwide Latinx table and organizations

Email Pastor Maria

773.248.0021

Professional Staff

Pastor Robin Brown

(She/Her)

Interim Executive Assistant to the Bishop

Talk to Heather about:

  • Bishop’s calendar and official correspondence

Email Robin

773.248.0021 ext. 218

Tom Anderson

General Manager/Human Resources

Talk to Tom about:

  • Finance, budget and audit
  • Payroll, insurance, purchasing, grant funding
  • MCS property and software
  • Financial resources, salary compensation (synod guidelines) to congregations

Email Tom

773.248.0021 ext. 219

Deacon Julie Sevig

(She/Her)

Director of Communications

Talk to Deacon Julie about:

  • E-Word and Metro Word publications
  • Social media accounts
  • Website management
  • General announcements from the synod

Email Deacon Julie

Office: 773.248.0021

Pastor Paul Willey

(He/Him)

Office Administrator

Talk to Pastor Paul about:

  • Front desk reception
  • How to register for events
  • Office administration

Email Pastor Paul

773.248.0021

Deacon Pam Shearman

(She/Her)

Director of Candidacy

Talk to Deacon Pam about:

  • Candidacy

Email Deacon Pam

773.248.0021

Pastor Anna Roper

(She/Her)

Youth Ministry Leader’s Network Coordinator

Talk to Pastor Anna about:

  • Synod youth ministry
  • MCS and ELCA Youth Ministry networks
  • Churchwide youth ministries/ELCA Youth Gathering

Email Pastor Anna

Office: 773.248.0021