2023 Synod Council Nominees
Dr. Sigrid Horton (Elliott)
Congregation, City, and State: Messiah Lutheran Church, Redwood City, CA
Synod Council position of interest: Synod Council: At-Large Member
(3-year term)
I have read the Synod Council member position description and
the Sierra Pacific Synod Council Covenant: Yes
Why I wish To Serve: I know that representation matters and want people who
look like me to know that darkness is holy and they are fully holy and blessed by
God. I wish to use my voice to lead this synod into increased cultural competency
towards all BIPOC people. My name was lifted up by another person in this synod
and I have discerned a call to follow through with the trust placed in me.
Name of 2023 Synod Assembly Voting Member Who Nominated You:
Pastor Julie Kelly
Please share some of your experiences and gifts that you will bring to the position:
I am a proud, Black, queer, female seminarian called by God to continuingly choose and “get into good trouble” in the Lutheran church. I am very aware what it is like to be the only Black person in groups of people and have learned how to use my voice. I do not pretend to speak for all BIPOC people but I have an understanding and personal knowledge of what we experience everyday, just moving within a society that still has important work to do around issues of race.
Demographics: Female, Lay, Person of Color
Traci Angel
Congregation, City, and State: St. Paul's Lutheran Family, Carson City, NV
Synod Council position of interest: Synod Council: At-Large Member
(3-year term)
I have read the Synod Council member position description and
the Sierra Pacific Synod Council Covenant: Yes
Why I wish to serve:
I would like to volunteer to serve on this council; my decision to run
was not taken lightly. In first Corinthians Paul is still dealing with the Jews and
Gentiles debate. He sums it up nicely when he writes, “So, whether you eat or
drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to
Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do,
not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.” I do my very best to live everyday to the glory of God. That motivation, compounded with the importance of being a part of and involved with my community that my parents instilled has convinced me to take a bigger role in the service of others. I’ve been involved in many facts of our church, but believe that I can bring a needed perspective to this position.
Name of 2023 Synod Assembly Voting Member who nominated you: Conference 4
Please share some of your experiences and gifts that you will bring to the position:
I was born and raised in our church and now my kids are growing up in the church. I am fortunate to work with our youth in our congregation and lucky for me I found my joy in working with them. This has been an enlightening experience for nearly two decades now. I am a domestic and sexual violence advocate which means see ugly and hurt every day and it is my faith that gives me hope and light. I have served on church council, call committees, state wide committees over the years. I know that if I am voted as a member I will be an advocate for all. I am also aware I will be coming in after some hardship. The philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, “It is the responsibility of leadership to work intelligently with what is given, and not waste time fantasizing about a world of flawless people and perfect choices.” I understand that we don’t have flawless people that have made perfect choices, but want to support my church and my Synod to the best of my ability. Our church is over the mountains in a land in our Synod where at times has seemed like the forgotten. I will take this into consideration and work to be assured all areas in our Synod have a voice. As I say all the time all our communities and churches are special and unique much as our Synod!
Demographics: Female
Rashelle Rew
Congregation, City, and State: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church,
Berkeley, CA
Synod Council position of interest: Synod Council: At-Large Member
(3-year term)
I have read the Synod Council member position description and the
Sierra Pacific Synod Council Covenant: Yes
Why I wish to serve:
I wish to serve on synod council as an at-large member to help shape and
represent the needs of this synod. I would like the opportunity to help provide
guidance to our newly elected synod bishop by supporting in their adjustment to
the role, long range planning, and setting goals and priorities. In this role, I also
hope to create a sense of belonging for our synod as a whole and represent the
needs of the congregants. As a young adult on council I wish to bring the sincere
understanding of our youth, fully connect with their needs/wishes, use my older mentors for support and guidance along my path, find the best way to communicate with our youth and update and provide valuable knowledge that keeps youth connected to our synod. I would be honored to bring forth the synod as it continues to development and be successful.
Name of 2023 Synod Assembly Voting Member who nominated you:
Pastor Clare McElaney
Please share some of your experiences and gifts that you will bring to the position:
I hope to share my experiences in multiple ways. During my time at California Lutheran University, I served as treasure and vice president of our campus ELCA ministry organization called Lord of Life. Within this role I over saw our organizations budget requirements attending student government meetings to receive funds for our services and events, led worship services alongside campus pastors, designed goals as well as collaborated with our finical advisor in campus ministry. I attended two synod assemblies as a voting member where I helped to support my congregation to better under what is needed at campus ministry sites. I was also a Sunday School teacher during my time in college and connected with youth ministry and the needs children have within our church. As of today, I am a fourth-year public school teacher still working to connect and support our youth at all ages.
Demographics: Female, Lay, Young Adult (18-30)
Makayla Holeman
Congregation, City, and State: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sacramento, CA
Synod Council position of interest: Youth Member (2-year term)
I have read the Synod Council member position description and the
Sierra PacificSynod Council Covenant: Yes
Why I wish to serve:
I wish to run for another term of the youth position because over my time
serving my last term as youth representative I have learned how to communicate
better, see from other's perspective, learned so much more about our synod and
the churches, and most importantly how to be a better leader in my community.
It also highlighted for me something that we say a lot in our synod that the youth
are both the present and future of the church. Serving in the youth position has
allowed me to see how powerful our youth of the synod can be. I would like to continue to serve as the youth representative because it has taught me to appreciate my own voice and the power that the youth hold in changing the church for the better.
Name of 2023 Synod Assembly Voting Member who nominated you:
Rev. Kristen Moore
Please share some of your experiences and gifts that you will bring to the position:
Some experiences and gifts that I will bring to the position is that I listen to other people’s points of views and take them into consideration before I do things. I also strive for transparency between myself and my peers at school when we do work. I currently also serve as the president of the Sierra Pacific Synod Youth Committee so the youth committee and synod council would have a direct connection with each other.
Demographics: Female, Youth (Under The Age of 18)
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Bertha Castro
Congregation, City, and State: St Paul Lutheran Church, Lodi, CA
Synod Council position of interest: Synod Council: At-Large Member (3-year term)
I have read the Synod Council member position description and the Sierra Pacific
Synod Council Covenant: Yes
Why I wish to serve:
My name is Bertha Castro, I was born and raised in Mexico. I came to the USA at the age
of 17. I am a wife, a mother of 4 children and a grandmother of 3. I worked for 25 years
for Lodi Unified School District as a Comunity Liasion. Currently I serve on the Board of
Directors of Lodi Breakthrough for Social Justice, and also in the Lodi Library Equity and
Inclusion Advisory Board of Directors. I came to the Lutheran church 5 years ago and I
have seen how the Lutheran church strives to help underprivileged families, regardless
of culture, language, color, gender and age with respect and love as Christ taught us.
I hope that the years I have of serving the underprivileged community serve to be
elected as part of the Council of the Synode Sierra Pacifica Synod. I believe that I can be
of great help if elected as a council member.
Name of 2023 Synod Assembly Voting Member who nominated you: Pastor Mark Price, Lodi CA
Please share some of your experiences and gifts that you will bring to the position: Since my early years in elementary school, I have always been motivated to serve our community, specifically, people who believe they have no voice because they think or feel that they are different from others due to their financial or social status. My former job, my personality and being in different organizations in our community have given me the opportunity to encourage, educate and empower those same people. I always try to empower people by letting them know that we are all children of God and are loved by him unconditionally. My goal has always been and will continue to be to work so that no human being suffers rejection in our community. We must work together for all to feel and
know that we can do great work together in a community with faith, hope and love.
Demographics: Female, Person of Color, Primary Language other than English
