About the Director
Introducing the new CBO Director, Rev. Susan Engh
Greetings! I've been in my position as ELCA Director for Congregation-based Organizing for just over six months. I'm finally getting around to formally introducing myself to you. What that indicates is that I had plenty of work to do from the get-go, and it
has stayed steady all along the way. That's good! And it's also fun. So let me tell you a bit about myself, as well as some of that work that has kept me so occupied and joyful.
I started in my new position on October 1, 2007. As you probably know, the fact that this is now considered a “permanent” position in the Church in Society Program Unit makes it Chicago-based. So I moved from Minnesota and set up house-keeping in an apartment near the Lutheran Center. My husband continues in his long-time job in the Twin Cities, so we’ve begun the great commuter marriage experiment. Our daughter was married this past summer, and our son is a sophomore at Luther College. My husband points out that he’s taken the empty nester syndrome to a whole new level!
Prior to taking this position, I was a full-time organizer for 4 years with ISAIAH, a Gamaliel affiliate operating in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud regions in Minnesota. Before that I had served 16 years as a parish pastor in two different congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod, the first in the inner-city and the second in suburban Excelsior. As a parish pastor, I was active in ISAIAH, as a leader of its Clergy and Religious Leaders Caucus. So I’ve experienced organizing from both the leader and staff perspectives. I also headed up an initiative in our synod to bring a significant number of Lutheran congregations into ISAIAH. All of these roles render me well qualified, I believe, for the position of Director for CBO in the ELCA.
During my first couple months as CBO Director I concentrated on doing one-to-one’s with various key staff, both in Church and Society and elsewhere in the building. This focus helped me do a “power analysis” of the situation at Churchwide as well as establish some important rapport and trust with my colleagues. I will continue to schedule strategic one-to-ones within the ELCA, but I’m also moving outward into synods, organizing networks, and other important realms. I look forward to meeting and partnering with you!