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Elected April 25 as bishop of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod, Taryn Montgomery sees the vital importance of churches’ ties to their local communities.
Montgomery, who served as synod minister for discipleship and Christian community from 2023 until she began her new role, spoke with Living Lutheran about the exciting opportunity to stand on the cusp of something new.
Living Lutheran: What do you see as the biggest priorities for the synod?
We will be focusing a great deal on congregational vitality and renewal in the coming years. What makes a congregation vital? Why are we here really? Why do we exist — for God’s sake? I believe our congregations and leaders are hungry for this conversation, even if it’s a hard one to have at times.
The heart of the church has always been rooted in the local community. My hope is to help God’s people celebrate where those connections are already taking shape and dream together how the Holy Spirit might be drawing them into deeper connection with the world around them and Christ within them.
How did you feel when you were elected?
I could literally feel a change happening in my body as the assembly progressed. I can only describe this as the Holy Spirit. There was a calmness within and around me. It felt like call. Upon hearing my name and “Bishop-elect” in front of it, I’m pretty sure I took a big, deep breath! Then, turning to my husband, I gave him a raised eyebrow as if to say, “Here we go!” I trust that if God is calling me to this ministry, God will help provide the tools and the community I need to do the work.
What experiences in your ministry do you feel have best prepared you to serve as bishop? What have you learned in your ministry and life that you might incorporate into your approach to leading the synod into the future?
At my core, I am a pastoral leader. My experiences in congregational ministry, hospice chaplaincy and synod staff have provided me with a solid framework for not only understanding how people work but also how systems work. It’s my job to walk alongside God’s people, faithfully discerning together the next most-faithful step. This is how I approach leadership and how I approach ministry.
I’m also a mom to four amazing young humans who are growing up in a world and a church that are on the cusp of “something new.” Honestly, there are a lot of unknowns in that. It can be a bit scary. It’s also exciting and filled with opportunity to be the church. I want to lead the Northeastern Minnesota Synod with eyes set forward: honoring the past, holding space for the present and deeply curious about how God is paving the way before us.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I was once told that I have too much joy as a pastor. At the time, I was shocked by this feedback, though now I find humor in it. What fun is life, church and ministry if we aren’t bringing a spirit of joy to it? I have no doubt that the office of bishop will have its “joyless” moments. That’s true for all of us in various seasons of life and work. But I am committed to seeking joy! In the call, in the people and congregations, in the relationships that will be formed and in the faith that will grow deeper in the abundant love of Jesus Christ. For me, there is no other way to lead or to live.
