LLM Continuing Education Day

Presenters:

The Rev. Carla Christopher

The Rev. Carla Christopher (she/they) is a rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament (ordained pastor) with standing in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and United Church of Christ (UCC). A certified Congregational Vitality specialist (mission developer/redeveloper), Carla serves as the primary curriculum developer and project coordinator for the national "Vital and Thriving Congregations", and “Racial Justice and LGBTQIA2S+ Cultural Competency/Gender Equity” training programs through Kindling Faith at United Lutheran Seminary, on the national leadership team for ELCA Evangelism, and regularly offers consulting support to regional church bodies, nonprofits, schools & universities, and faith-based service organizations developing community engagement strategic plans with a focus on Healthy Community / Team Building & Strategic Planning.

Rev. Carla is also a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility/Belonging (DEIA/B) Trainer specializing in LGBTQIA2S+ Cultural Competency & Racial Justice, Trauma-informed Care & Mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, Restorative Justice & Peacebuilding with specialized training through the King Center and Princeton Theological Seminary. She has served as an adjunct instructor with the Episcopal Stevenson School for Ministry, Parish Resource Center – Lancaster, PA, United Lutheran Seminary and Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago who now use her signature and self-designed "Healthy Boundaries" course (that is self-care, justice, and trauma-informed care inclusive) to train all lay leaders and TEEM students.

David Scherer

David Scherer a.k.a. AGAPE* (he/him) is an edutainer, facilitator, trainer and author who works with individuals and organizations who are seeking to build bridges across the “differences that make a difference”. He has worked with 52 synods and 800+ congregations in his 25 years of ministry as a keynote performer and consultant. A Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), David taught Intercultural Development and Christian Public Leadership at Luther Seminary where he founded the Beloved Community Institute. David has served as a member of the advisory council for The Minneapolis Synod Bishop, Gustavus College, Lutheran World Relief, White Men for Racial Justice, and is also on the board for White Lutherans for Racial Justice. He and his partner Joe Davis co-founded JUSTmove: Racial Justice through the Arts (www.justmoveculture.com). David is married to Carolyn, has two children, Matthew (14) and Thomas (12), and lives in Dakota Wahpekute Land (known as Minneapolis) where he likes to run and play basketball.