Stories of Ministry
Called to LEAD, Sent to Serve
Four church workers share how one program shaped their ministry and their leadership
Pastor Garet Ellis, Deaconess Grace Bergt, Rev. Lucas Witt, and Nate Assefa
When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them and told his disciples to pray earnestly for laborers. Then he did something more. He sent them.
That same rhythm of calling, equipping, and sending runs through the Southeastern District’s Called to LEAD program. Four recent participants shared what the experience gave them, and while their projects could not look more different, the pattern is unmistakable. Each one was sent home with something to build.
Sent to church workers carrying quiet burdens
Pastor Garet Ellis of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bel Air, Maryland developed the SED Mental Health Network, a pilot initiative supporting the emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of church workers across the district. Many pastors and church workers experience ongoing strain and isolation, and hesitate to seek support. The pilot forms small peer cohorts shaped by prayer, Scripture, and mutual encouragement, spaces where church workers can be known, supported, and grounded again in God’s promises.
For Pastor Ellis, the most meaningful takeaway was learning to slow down and listen before building.
“Leadership in the Church is not just about strategy. It is about creating space for God to work through Word, community, and care.”
Pastor Garet Ellis · Bel Air, MD
Sent to a congregation hungry to grow as disciples
Deaconess Grace Bergt of Island Lutheran Church in Hilton Head, South Carolina noticed that discipleship was a word her congregation used often but could not always define. Through Called to LEAD, she developed a Discipleship Pathway, working alongside her governing board to give the congregation a clear picture of what it means to be a disciple, to grow as one, and to share the Gospel as one.
She points to the people as much as the curriculum. “Some of the best resources are the people around you who also have experience,” she says, grateful for a cohort that compared ministries, shared wisdom, and acted as a sounding board for one another.
Sent to neighbors facing empty pantries
Rev. Lucas Witt, Executive Director of Compassion Place, the Lutheran Mission Society of Maryland, kept hearing the same concern from clients and neighbors: food insecurity. His answer is a Community Gathering Grocery Market at the Compassion Center in Essex, Maryland, offering fresh, healthy food at accessible prices while upholding the dignity of every person made in the image of God.
“Lutherans gather for potlucks for a reason.”
Rev. Lucas Witt · Essex, MD
The market is about more than groceries. It opens doors for relationships and spiritual connection throughout the community.
Sent to a generation caught between two cultures
Nate Assefa of Living Hope Lutheran Church in Stafford, Virginia developed Rooted, an English language next generation ministry for his Ethiopian and Eritrean LCMS congregation. The youth of Living Hope are growing up between two cultures with no dedicated space built for them. Rooted gives them one, with weekly youth led worship, Scripture, and fellowship grounded in Lutheran liturgy and designed for the next generation.
His biggest lesson reached deeper than the project itself. “Sustainable ministry starts with knowing who you are before deciding what you will do,” he shares.
“The best leaders create more leaders, not more followers.”
Nate Assefa · Stafford, VA
Your turn
All four said some version of the same thing: apply. Come with a real problem you care about. Bring something you are willing to refine. Trust the process. As Deaconess Bergt put it, “this course is worth the time and the effort.”
The harvest is plentiful. Called to LEAD is one way the Lord is raising up laborers across the Southeastern District, and the next cohort could include you.