Supporting Leaders, Strengthening Schools, and Building Community

Bishop Barbins, Sara Kantorik (director of Adventure Place in Uniontown, Ohio), Geneine Hankey (director of an ELEA school), and Pastor Duane Jesse (Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Youngstown) at the ELEA “Inspiring Leaders and Strengthening Faith” conference last November in Cleveland.

For many directors and leaders of Lutheran schools, the day-to-day demands of running a ministry-based school can feel isolating and overwhelming. That’s where the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA) steps in to provide support, connection, and resources tailored specifically for the ELCA community.

Cory Newman, ELEA’s Executive Director, explains, “It can be very isolating when you’re a director and feeling like you’re struggling through everything on your own. ELEA creates a gathering space where people can learn, grow, and have a support network.”

Serving as both the ELCA’s Office of Schools and a membership association, ELEA equips leaders through professional development, mentorship, and practical resources. Members receive guidance in HR, insurance, and continuing education—along with something just as essential: a community of peers who understand the unique challenges of Lutheran education.

Sara Kantorik, director of Adventure Place in Uniontown, Ohio, remembers receiving a postcard inviting her to a “boot camp” for new directors. Though experienced in leadership, she was new to the nonprofit world, and the mentorship she found there became a turning point. “I always say Cory got stuck with me, but it was my hugest blessing,” Sara says. “She reached out, connected with me, and made me feel seen and supported at a time when I really needed it.

ELEA’s impact extends beyond one-on-one mentorship. Last November’s conference in Cleveland gathered leaders for learning, collaboration, and inspiration. “My goal is always to stretch the minds of our leaders, give them new ways of thinking about ministry, and create a safe place to be curious and ask questions,” Cory e shares. During one keynote, high school students with special needs, at the venue for a work program, joined the session, creating what Cory describes as “a God moment. It was something we could not plan, but it was beautiful.”

For Sara, the relationships built through ELEA have been transformative. “Even during COVID, when Ohio was hit hard, Cory reached out to reassure me that I wasn’t alone. It meant so much to know there were people praying for me and supporting me, even from miles away.”

By strengthening leaders, ELEA strengthens schools and, in turn, the congregations and families they serve. Yet its reach extends even further. Through research and community data, ELEA also helps congregations better understand the children and neighborhoods around them. Even churches without a school can draw on these insights to shape ministry with young people and deepen engagement with families.
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Support shared across the church helps make this kind of ministry possible: equipping leaders, fostering collaboration, and ensuring Lutheran education remains a vibrant expression of our faith. When leaders are supported, schools flourish. When schools flourish, congregations grow stronger. And when congregations are equipped with faithful partners and informed perspective, the whole church is better prepared to serve Christ’s mission in the world.