Name
Rev Jennifer Hoover
Current Position Congregational
Redevelopment Advisor, Eastern Synod
Previous Position(s)
Pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport (Kitchener) (2013-2018)
Pastor, Bethany Lutheran Church, Woodstock (2018-2022)
Congregational Membership
Trinity Lutheran, Tavistock
Date & Year of Ordination
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Education & Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first)
Certificate in Community Engagement and Leadership, Toronto Metropolitan University (in progress)
Master of Divinity, Martin Luther University College (Waterloo Lutheran Seminary), 2013
Bachelor of Music (Education) with a minor in Christianity and Culture (St. Michael’s College), University of Toronto, 1997
List up to three (3) current or past synod or churchwide experiences that would inform your
service as bishop of this Synod.
2022-present: Congregational Redevelopment Advisor for the Eastern Synod
2018-2022 Served on Racial Justice Advisory Committee (RJAC)
2014-2018 Served on Grand River Ministry Area Leadership Team
List up to three (3) current or past community activities that would inform your service as
bishop of this Synod.
In my role as Congregational Redevelopment Advisor, I have facilitated community roundtables on behalf of Eastern Synod congregations, bringing together church leaders and community stakeholders to identify needs within the community and explore ways to partner creatively to address mutual concerns. Enlivened by the Spirit, this work has helped to initiate and strengthen networks of support between churches and community organizations based on shared goals, resources, and leadership.
What gifts would you bring to the office of Bishop of this Synod? (250 word maximum)
A pastoral heart: I care deeply for the the people and communities that make up our Eastern Synod. In my attempt to follow the way of Jesus, I value connection and relationships above rules and regulations.
A courageous spirit: I am willing to take calculated risks to try new things. I have worked hard to learn to address conflict constructively and without fear. I value speaking honestly with love.
Perseverance: I don’t give up on relationships or tasks easily. I am not afraid of failing and trying again. I value the nurturing of resilience-in myself and in others.
Hospitality: Grounded in my belief that we are made in the image of our Creator, I strive to make both my home and my work places of wide welcome. I value and practice inclusiveness: wide circles and long tables!
A desire to work collaboratively: Based on the values of relationship, risk-taking, honesty, inclusiveness, and resilience, I desire to work collaboratively with Eastern Synod leaders to address the complex challenges with which we are faced, to build trust and goodwill, to hold each other accountable, and to move with hope into this new era of being the church.
Describe your leadership style. (250 word maximum)
We each come to our vocation with a unique yet incomplete or limited set of experiences and skills; this is why collaborative leadership is so important. The work of the Synod doesn’t belong only to those whose offices are located at 74 Weber Street in Kitchener; it belongs to all of us. I believe our best work is done when we bring together people with a wide range of experience and knowledge, when we develop principles for working together, when we make our expectations clear, and when we hold each other accountable.
The objective of collaborative leadership is to build trust among colleagues, encourage ownership of and inspire commitment to the process of identifying and achieving goals, and empower and encourage new leadership. While this is my preferred style of leadership, I recognize that there will be times when this style doesn’t meet our needs: crises and conflict situations require faster and more decisive action than can be accomplished through a collaborative approach. The key is to recognize what kind of leadership the moment calls for and to lead with purpose.
What do you see as the principal challenge to this Synod in the next six (6) years, and how
would you address it? (250 word maximum)
My short decade in church leadership has been defined and shaped by change, decline, and the death of the church of my childhood. While it’s important to accept the reality that nothing is as it was, we can’t remain here. We have to move through the loss and fear of Good Friday to a place of resurrection hope. This is the foundation of our faith.
The principal challenge for the Synod now is to identify the opportunities to join with God in doing the new thing. I can’t think of anything the world needs more now than hope, and I believe the church is uniquely equipped to provide sanctuary, community, and empowerment to all who seek hope.
We can address this through a collaborative approach that seeks to identify the most urgent needs, the challenges and barriers to addressing those needs, the opportunities that exist for meeting those needs, and strategies and solutions that nurture the growth of hope.
What would be your top three (3) priorities for your first three (3) years of service? (250 word maximum)
Address the health needs of the Synod and its leaders: what are the symptoms of ill health in the system (e.g. leaders who are burnt out, lack of trust between Synod and congregations, unresolved or prolonged conflict)? Are some of these symptoms masking deeper issues (e.g. systemic barriers to full inclusion)?
Create “sustainable development goals” that originate from a place of hope: e.g. invigorating leadership, encouraging and supporting new kinds of worshipping and missional communities, stewarding our resources in a way that contributes to the good of the whole community, bold and daring justice through decentering our dominant mode of operation (White, European, patriarchal, straight, ableist), integrity of relationships with God, each other, and the planet.
Measuring success: our success will be measured by the health of our communities and our leaders (spiritual, physical, emotional wellbeing), by the depth of our relationships, and our ability to be accomplices for justice and a beacon of hope.