The Eastern Synod Queer Committee is working to strengthen queer and 2SLGBTQIA+ welcome, affirmation, and belonging across the synod — in worship, congregational life, and public witness. We met for a working retreat in December 2025 and made strong progress on advancing the mandates for this triennium.
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CLWR: Gifts From the Heart
| Give Gifts from the Heart this Christmas! Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s new Gifts from the Heart catalogue has something to inspire and delight anyone on your list this year. It’s full of meaningful, tangible gifts that will touch your loved ones and share God’s love with the world! In order to beat any delays due to possible postal strikes, we encourage everyone to get their gift orders in immediately and, if possible, to make their donations online at clwr.org/gfth or over the phone at 1-800-661-2597 (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:00pm CST). And don’t forget to enter our colouring contest open to all ages, details can be found at clwr.org/colourcontest! To view the full catalogue of gifts CLICK HERE |
2025/2026 Scholarship Recipients
It brings us great pleasure to introduce the Eastern Synod Scholarship recipients for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Along with maintaining excellent school marks, each recipient has been busy giving their time and spreading joy to worthy causes within their church and community.
We congratulate you and wish you all the best in your future studies and career endeavours!
Rev. Katherine Gohm To Serve As Assistant To The Bishop
The Eastern Synod Council is pleased to announce that Rev. Katherine Gohm has accepted a call to serve as an Assistant to the Bishop in the Eastern Synod. Katherine will begin her ministry in the Synod Office on September 15, 2025.
Katherine most recently served as pastor to the good people of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Montréal. It was a coming home as she grew up on the South Shore of Montreal and was happy to be engaged in ministry with the congregations there. Before St. John’s, she served congregations in Kitchener (St. Stephen, St. Matthews) and London (Redeemer). Currently, Katherine is the Vice President of the North America region of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and sits on the Executive Committee and Council. She is grateful to be a part of our Lutheran communion and to learn about and support the work we do locally and globally.
Katherine hopes to bring what she has learned from each of the congregations she has served, and what she is learning in her time with the LWF, to her position at Synod office. She is looking forward to joining Bishop Carla and the Synod staff in their work and is excited about the possibilities of what our Synod can accomplish together. Katherine and her husband, Kevin, have two adult sons, Andrés and Rafael.
Bishop Carla concludes, “I am absolutely delighted that Pastor Katherine will be joining our Synod Team! Katherine is a very creative and gifted leader who brings a wide breadth of experience to her new role in the Synod Office. Please join me in praying for Katherine and Kevin, as well as the congregation of St. John’s, Montreal during this time of transition.”
While exact portfolios are yet to be decided, Katherine will join Bishop Carla, Rev. Adam & Rev. Christie in the work of providing support to our synod family and encouraging a collaborative, innovative and hope-filled approach to ministry.
Welcome, Katherine!
2024 Christmas Greeting
In 2024, congregations and partners from across the Eastern Synod were invited to send an ornament to help decorate a new Christmas Tree in the Synod Office. The response was overwhelming! We are so grateful for your enthusiastic embrace of this invitation. Thank you!
In her Christmas Greeting, Bishop Carla Blakley reflects on the diversity of our new Christmas ornament collection, and how such a beautiful diversity is mirrored in our synodical family. Merry Christmas!
Bishops’ Company Gathering 2024
The Bishops’ Company for Mission was established in 2003 as a gathering of lay people whose financial generosity helps to support mission and ministry activities of the Eastern Synod, above and beyond the regular budget. Join us this year in welcoming our new Bishop Carla Blakley to the Eastern Synod. Information and tickets will be made available soon.