Bishop Pryse is delighted to announce that Rafael Rodriguez will serve as our next Director of Public Policy and Service Ministries effective July 1, 2023. Rafael is a member of Redeemer, London, and is passionate about the work of racial justice, reconciliation, and environmental stewardship! He will be working in a 25% time position and providing staff support to social justice ministries previously overseen by Rev. Christie Morrow-Wolfe, Assistant to the Bishop.
In accepting this position, Rafael remarked, “As a young adult, I have grown up in relatively tumultuous times, and that in turn created a passion for studying issues related to social justice and the policy options available to remedy them. To be able to transition from merely understanding these issues to being in a position to work with the Eastern Synod to support its member congregations in tackling these challenges we all face is a dream come true for myself, and I cannot wait to get to work. My hope is to bring a fresh set of eyes and ideas to this position, and to support all congregations in taking the Synod to the forefront of the fight for justice. I am sure our community of faith is capable of this task and can be a part of the change that is needed right now.”
Of this new appointment, Bishop Michael said, “I am so very pleased to welcome Rafael Rodriguez to the Eastern Synod staff team. Rafael is deeply committed to advancing our church’s social justice initiatives and encouraging us to be more engaged in ministries that can impact our broader communities. As a young adult lay leader, I am hoping he will give voice to new perspectives that have not been given enough attention in the past. Rafael’s leadership within the life of our synod is a refreshing sign of hope!”
Please join us in welcoming Rafael to this new role. He can be reached at rrodriguez@elcic.ca.