The Rev. Katrina Foster
Current Position: Pastor
Congregation Membership: St. John's Lutheran Church
Date and Year of Birth: 9/1/68
Date and Year of Ordination: 12/4/94
Previous Positions:
St. Michael's Lutheran, Amagansett
Incarnation Lutheran, Bridgehampton
Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church
Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):
Doctor of Ministry, LTSP, 2008
M. Div, LTSS, 1994
BA, Newberry College, 1990
List up to five (5) current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod.
Dean, Bronx Conference
Dean, Brooklyn Bridges Conference
Diakonia instructor
Pinecrest Lutheran Leadership Camp faculty
Chair, MNYS HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Task Force
List up to five (5) current or past community-related activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod.
Fire Police & Chaplain, Bridgehampton Fire Department
NYPD Community Liaison, 46th Precinct
Vice President, St. Michael's Lutheran low income senior housing project and community center
Center for Community Change Heartland Presidential Forum member to examine the 2008 Presidential candidates
Board of Directors, ILSOLI, Immigration Legal Services of Long Island
What gifts would you bring to the office of bishop of this synod? (1,000 characters maximum, with spaces)
Evangelism: Every congregation I was called to serve was expected to close. None have. I am excited to share the good news of Jesus and eager to help others invite our neighbors to come and see Jesus. I am eager to help congregations grow in witness, power, ministry and financial strength for mission and ministry. Stewardship: I love to invite others to grow in making connections between faith and finances and to invite all to grow in giving. Pastoral: I knew I was called to be a pastor from age 4. It is a privilege to preach, administer the sacraments, teach and be present in times of joy and sorrow. Community Organizing and Building: I will work with all, listen to all, lead, collaborate, hustle and cheer on all who do the work of ministry.
What do you see as the principal challenge to this synod in the next six (6) years, and how would you address it? (1,000 characters maximum, with spaces)
Evangelism: are we going to share the good news of Jesus Christ? As we do this, we will be rebuilding trust and connections throughout the synod. I know we can do this together. As we rebuild together, will be able to have fact based, honest conversations about the vitality of each congregation, developing mission specific plans for each because we trust each other. As we rebuild together the feeling of isolation can become lessened and cooperative work among congregations, conferences, quadrants and the entire synod will grow. As we are accountable to each other, the generosity of our members will grow and our ability to support struggling and emerging ministry will increase, allowing us to properly resource ministries for success rather than continually struggling with issues of limited financial resources.
Describe your leadership style. (1,000 characters maximum, with spaces)
I have always had strong leadership skills. I have chased down men who robbed my church, built coalitions of power to force politicians to respond to the people they are elected to serve, walked with the NYPD in times of grief and protested them in times of injustice. I am unafraid of impossible situations, I am genuinely interested in all people, I am at home in all settings of the synod from upstate to the city and Long Island. I worked in partnership with various individuals and organizations to build St. Michael's Housing, a 13 million dollar, 40 unit low income senior housing project and community center. I lead by creating a vision and inviting others to be a part of it. I lead by collaborating with others to strengthen communities, achieve goals and create solutions. I ask for help, receive criticism well, admit when I am wrong and lead by example.