 Ryan Smarsh joyfully expresses his passion for the church that nurtured him from early on. While growing up, Ryan learned that he was "here to serve” and he didn’t want to miss a single day at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC), Avon Lake.
As a child, Ryan felt a strong sense of call from God. After years of exploring his vocational identity with his pastor, Ryan's trust-worthy role model, he pondered whether he truly had a place in his church. Ryan prayed earnestly about it. “Then it happened! I know it was a God moment,” asserts Ryan. A confirmation class teacher called, sharing with him that one of her students requested Ryan be his mentor. Much to Ryan’s surprise, teachers, parents and church council all approved. Ryan would become, by far, the youngest mentor ever in his congregation! Through this mentoring relationship, Ryan and his call was affirmed. God spoke through Ryan’s church family, giving a far-reaching direction for his life’s work. Ryan felt the call to walk with people, one-to-one, as a mentor which led him to a vocation as a social worker. Ryan says, “I will not forget how this congregation supported me. I would not be the social worker I am today, if is wasn’t for the love and compassion that was shown to me, and given to me, by my church family.” Today, Ryan serves as the president of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church. Aided by the Holy Spirit, our synod staff, and shared resources, he led this Body of Christ through the difficult years of the pandemic and is now leading during a faithful search for a new pastor. Congregations in the Northeastern Ohio Synod are raising up leaders like Ryan who serve both their church and their communities for the good of all. As a member of this synod, your mission support helps us be a resource for congregation leaders, equip pastors, and accompany people in vocational discernment. Thank you for recognizing the importance of our shared ministry.
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 Mak Sanders (right) at the Lutheran World Federation 2023 Assembly with ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton (left) and a fellow student. Mak Sanders has deep roots in Northeast Ohio. Multiple generations of his family have attended Lord of Life, Chagrin Falls, where he was baptized and confirmed. When Mak was in high school, he began discerning a call to ministry, which eventually led him to try something outside of his comfort zone. He enrolled at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkley, California.
Now in the third year of his Master of Divinity program, Mak’s friend shared an opportunity to take a cross-ELCA seminary course that included visiting the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) 2023 Assembly in Kraków, Poland. “Initially, this felt like an opportunity for adventure and an excuse to go to Europe.” Mak said, “We’ll go to Poland and talk church things. Most importantly, though, this assembly will orient me to what it means to be part of the bigger “C” church, which is so much bigger than me and my congregation, my synod, and even the national church.” While in Krakow, Mak attended the general sessions and panels. One panel included two former LWF presidents, two former general secretaries of the LWF, the ELCA’s delegation, and representatives of the Service and Justice initiative. Mak was especially struck by LWF's work with Justice and Reconciliation, including supporting migrants and displaced people. While some conversations don’t happen in this assembly, recognizing the many differences in global Lutheran churches, Mak found much of the impact of LWF is around what it means to be Lutheran and what it means to be church together. “What I do… impacts not just my community, but there are ripples through the entire LWF communion. My place is not just my place alone, but also in tandem with so many other churches and communities and leaders and pastors and people – who are, in different ways, committed to the same work that I am.” Mak knows it’s an idea he can’t fully articulate or grasp, even now. Back in Berkley, Mak is still processing his experience. While he continues to form the words for what it all means in his future ministry, he does know that he better appreciates the “little ways that being (the local) church can be an impact for the Church and the world.” Mak is grateful for the ways he saw his home congregation in Ohio be a champion of this same justice work. Congregations in the Northeastern Ohio Synod are raising up discerning leaders like Mak for our local and big “C” church work. As a part of this synod, your mission support helps us accompany our seminarians throughout their candidacy process and support their experiential learning opportunities, including making the global church accessible. Thank you for recognizing the importance of our shared ministry. |
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