Synod Welcomes Pastor Jenn Collins

Dear ones of the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin,

I am delighted to share that The Rev. Jennie Collins has accepted a call from the synod council to serve as Associate to the Bishop, Director for Communication and Community. This new role combines and reimagines two open synod communicator roles. In addition to creating and editing content from the ECSW across platforms and audiences, Pastor Jenn will be developing a synod communication ministry strategy and working with congregations to foster communication and connections.

Since 2012, Pastor Jenn has served Saint Andrew in Wausau, first as associate and then, starting in 2019, as lead pastor. Pastor Jenn brings considerable gifts as a leader, organizer, communicator and connector of people and organizations. She serves as treasurer on the board of Crossways Camping Ministries and as faculty at the ECSW lay school. Pastor Jenn has been engaged in synod-wide ministry as a synod assembly and fall theological event/worship planner, as well as the lead organizer of the 2021 bishop installation.

As part of her interview with executive team members, we asked Pastor Jenn: “How would you tell us the story of you as a communicator and a community-builder for the sake of the Gospel? What would you write and say, what would you convey through other media?” In a few hours, Pastor Jenn produced this video to demonstrate how the communication and community position can be catalyst for helping us all share and connect around Christ’s love in our lives.

Asked about her new role, Pastor Jenn wrote: “I look forward to walking with congregations and leaders as together we recover some joy and inertia as people of the resurrection. We are the body of Christ! The Holy Spirit is about to paint on the canvas of the post-Covid church through us! Now more than ever, creating sustainable support networks, providing resources for innovating in the midst of a paradigm shift, and supporting the synod office with communications that make the gospel more sensory is vital to our shared journey in this corner of Wisconsin.

While many are tired and weary from decision making, the innovation, generosity, and steady care of leaders has continued and is already making a difference through the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ. This work is happening all across the ECSW! As Director of Communications and Community I’m excited to hold up the mirror through stories and connections to say, ‘See! Look how God is at work in the world! With God’s help, let’s do more of this together!’’’

Pastor Jenn will begin her new role with the synod office on June 7. We anticipate adding one more synod staff member this summer: an Assistant to the Bishop, Director for Evangelical Mission. First interviews for that position will be happening this month, with final interviews scheduled for June 4.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, bless Pastor Jenn and Saint Andrew in this time of leave-taking and reflection on 9 years of shared ministry. We give thanks for Pastor Jenn’s openness to your call and to the Holy Spirit’s work preparing her, and all of us, as she begins her new call, soon. Sustain her joy and give her everything she needs as a messenger of your Good News; keep us, call us, send us and connect us as we share what we have heard and experienced, too. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Gratefully,

Bishop Anne Edison-Albright
East Central Synod of Wisconsin
bishop@ecsw.org