The Rev. Dr. Katrina Foster
Full Name:
Katrina D. Foster
Congregation, Synod, Churchwide Affiliations:
St. John's Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, MNYS, ELCA
Current Role/Position:
Pastor
Length of Time in Ministry (include each location/organization and corresponding number of years):
30 years
Educational Background (include degrees, institutions, and fields of study):
BA Religion/Philosophy, Sociology, Newberry College, M.Div., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, D. Min, Stewardship and Luther's Theology of the Cross, Lutheran Theological Seminary Philadelphia
Previous Leadership Roles (within and beyond the synod):
Chair, MNYS HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Task Force, The Bronx Clergy Task Force, NYPD Clergy Liaison for the 46th Precinct, Board Member of the NorthWest Bronx Clergy and Community Coalition, CCC: Center For Community Change Heartland Presidential Forum Panelist questioning Senator Barack Obama and his healthcare reform plans, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion's personal representative to the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, Dean of the Bronx Conference, Reconciling Works Chaplain and Board Member, Bridgehampton Fire Department chaplain and Fire Police, Vice-President St. Michael's Housing Corporation, Maidstone Gun Club, East Hampton Food Pantry Board Member, Immigration Legal Services of Long Island Board Member, Founding member of the North Brooklyn Angels Food Truck Ministry, NYPD Clergy Liaison for the 94th Precinct, Dean of the Brooklyn Bridges Conference, Coordinator of Financial Peace University, Trinity Wall Street Fellows Mentor, Consultant for Organizational Change Management, Property Development, Leadership and Capacity Development, Congregational Stewardship Development, Evangelism Strategies and Discipleship, Diakonia Instructor: Ethics, Communicating the Gospel, Evangelism
Experience Serving in Diverse Communities:
I have served in a wide variety of ministry settings from inner-city urban to extreme wealth/resort settings to gentrifying, hipster Brooklyn. I have worked with a broad array of communities and have successfully built coalitions to engage in effective community organizing and community change. Every congregation I have been called to serve was in the process of being closed with little hope of survival. Every congregation became a transformed community of faith, responsive to the immediate neighborhood with a reach further into the city and world. Each church became a place where people could experience the power of Christ, a community of concrete action and vibrant faith.
I served Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx from 1994-2015. It was a congregation made up largely of immigrants from West Indian, Caribbean, Latinx and African communities. The majority of the church members were single moms and their children. The average annual income during my time there was $22,000. Few members had a BA/BS or more. But, Fordham came to be the number one giving congregation in the synod and achieved total financial self sufficiency by creating working relationships with community partners like HeadStart, Our Sister's Place, home for foster care girls and their babies, Picture the Homeless, a direct action organization elevating the visibility of homeless persons and creating permanent housing solutions, and through tithes and offerings from the congregation. During my time at Fordham we grew from fewer than 20 members to 120. None of the new members were Lutheran before coming to Fordham.
St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Amagansett and Incarnation Lutheran Church, Bridgehampton on Long Island are in communities of extreme wealth where I served from 2010-2015. Most members had college and advanced degrees. Some were cradle Lutherans but most of the new members were not. Many of the families were two-parent households. After both congregations became Reconciling in Christ and publicly welcomed LGBTQ+ people, both congregations began to grow. Incarnation’s unique ministry became working with survivors of domestic violence and undocumented migrants seeking to become citizens. St. Michael’s unique ministry was building St. Michael’s Housing, a 40-unit-low-income senior housing project and community center. Financial stewardship and generosity also became a focus of the congregation.
St. John's Lutheran Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is a congregation in an amazing transition. Since I began serving here in 2015, the average age has dropped from 75 to 35. Many of our members are single young adults, most of whom were raised in various faith traditions including a few cradle Lutherans. Our community has a wide range of educational levels, we are socioeconomically diverse and have members from across the globe.
Because St. John's became RIC we are now attracting young members and families who want to be part of an inclusive community. We also have interfaith couples who worship regularly and are some of the best evangelists we have. Creating an inclusive, public facing community of faith has attracted people from all economic levels, ethnicities, ages and religious backgrounds.
Leadership and Vision: What is your vision for our synod? How would you approach its implementation?
We will focus on Evangelism, Discipleship and Financial Stewardship. Some churches' worship lives may end, but the buildings will be transformed into community response ministries like housing, child care centers, medical facilities, etc. These will provide income streams to support MNYS ministries. We will invite congregations to self-select to become part of these opportunities.
Administrative and Operational Expertise: How have you supported and equipped a team, staff, and/or volunteers to handle complex organizational challenges? Please provide a specific example.
I lead from a focus on transparent, consistent, direct communication, clear expectations, weekly staff/volunteer meetings, annual evaluations and necessary adjustments to meet goals. I believe in communal prayer, bible study, and regular time off to encourage staff and volunteers to prioritize their families, work well and with joy.
Diversity and Inclusion: How are you actively celebrating and engaging diversity in your current role? What impact does it have? How are you continuing to learn and grow in this area of your work?
Every congregation I served has become more multicultural, intergenerational, economically diverse and younger during my tenure as pastor. It was and continues to be a priority to which I have an unwavering commitment.
Pastoral Care: How would you balance the pastoral role of the bishop with the demands of administrative leadership?
We must have the right administrative staff to support the vision & work. This will allow me & my assistants to strengthen relationships with clergy/congregations. I will have one on ones with all pastors within the first 6 months. Each church will be visited in the 1st year. Direct, clear, consistent communication, maximum disclosure with minimum delay of all synod info is paramount to build trust.
Public Leadership: How have you advocated for the church’s mission in a public or cultural space? What impact does your leadership have? What were your metrics for measuring success? What would this work look like in your service as bishop?
I was honored to be approached by the NY Times for an article on transforming local church communities that were expected to be closed. I have always forged partnerships with local elected officials and community organizations to work collaboratively because strong congregations are anchors for strong communities. Organizing people and resources has led to congregational growth and revitalization.
Bold and Courageous Leadership: Describe a bold or innovative action you took to reimagine ministry or strengthen a community. What were the challenges, and what was the outcome?
Covid made it clear our young congregation at St. John’s had no significant financial resources or financial literacy. We created a fund to help members with rent, gas, electricity, health care premiums, food, and funerals. Post Covid we now teach financial literacy courses to equip our members with financial tools to grow in generosity, save for emergencies, get out of debt & invest for the future.
Spiritual Life and Practices: How do you nurture your spiritual life and relationship with God amidst the demands of leadership? Share specific practices or disciplines that sustain you and provide an example of how your spiritual grounding has shaped your leadership.
Daily prayer, self-examination, worship, the sacraments & communal life are my pattern for living & serving. With these I am equipped and strengthened for leadership. Daily practices of faith & service keep me grounded, connected to God & neighbor & equip me to discern how I am called to be a servant leader in all areas of life. I have great hope for the congregations and pastors of the MNYS.