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Bishop Tracie Bartholomew

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January 24, 2025

 

Dear Friends,

“To love is to will the good of the other.” 1

 

On January 28 the church commemorates Thomas Aquinas – Italian philosopher, theologian, and teacher of the church. Born into a wealthy family, he joined an order of poor Dominicans and lived an ascetic life. His teachings, especially those bringing together philosophy and religion (reason and faith), are required reading for college and seminary students to this day. 

 

The Aquinas quote above caught my attention as I was digging into his writings. It seems an apt sentiment as we continue to be the church Christ calls us to be across our synod. Guided by our core values of faithfulness, respect, diversity, generosity, change, and interdependence, we love God by loving our neighbor and doing that which builds up the body of Christ. Let me be clear, our call to love our neighbor does not depend on our neighbor’s immigration status, sexual orientation or gender identity, economic status, education level, race or ethnicity, ability or disability, political party, or anything else that could divide us. Rather, we see each other as reflections of the face of God and labeled only as beloved.



 

Your sister in Christ, 

Bishop Tracie L. Bartholomew

 

 

What follows are some updates about our life together:

 

Synod Assembly – June 5-7, 2025

The first notice with details of assembly went out in a letter to rostered ministers and congregations on January 22. You should note the cost for each voting member is $25. Synod council designated funds to cover the majority of costs so that congregations would send their full contingent of voting members. This means the pastors, deacons, and at least two lay people from every congregation. If you send at least one person under the age of 30, you can send an additional lay person. Remember, all your lay members could be youth or young adults!

 

Again, this year, pre-assembly workshops on a variety of topics pertaining to our work will take place via zoom earlier in the week of assembly.

 

Please pay attention to registration deadlines and check the website for updates.

 

Mission District Meetings

Every mission district will be meeting in March. Please check the website for your specific date, time, and location. These meetings are open to anyone but especially to those who will be voting members at assembly. Part of the agenda for the district meetings will be spending time in prayer and Bible study in preparation for the election of a bishop. Your prayers and your input are important parts of this process, so I hope you’ll make every effort to attend.

 

Namibia Trip

I will be traveling to our companion synods in Namibia on February 10 for 10 days. Accompanying me will be Deacon Linda Walker and my spouse, Pastor Dan Whitener along with a small delegation from across the ELCA. We will be in Namibia for the historic installation of Bishop Hilja Ndatala-Eenyofi Nghaangulwa, the first woman elected to serve in this role. She will serve as bishop of the Eastern Diocese in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). 

 

We will also meet with the newly installed bishop of the Western Diocese of ELCIN, Dr Gideon Niitenge. This new leadership has expressed the desire to renew our relationships which have been on hiatus for the past number of years. It is our hope that this trip will be a catalyst for strengthening our connections to our siblings in Namibia.  Please pray for our trip and the new bishops of ELCIN. Watch Jersey Jottings for a prayer petition to be used on Sunday, February 16, the day of the installation for Bishop Hilja.

 

Thank You!

For the calendar year 2024, mission support received was 99.34% of what was pledged – thank you! Thirty-one congregations remitted mission support above what they pledged – thank you! This demonstration of generosity allows us to do what we are called to do – love God and love our neighbors. I pray we will continue our strong commitment to being in ministry together as we move into 2025. 

 

 

1Summa Theologiae, First Part of the Second Part, Question 26, Article 4

The Rev. Tracie L. Bartholomew


Bishop Bartholomew is a native New Jerseyan. She was baptized and confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church, Somers Point, NJ. Bishop Bartholomew was graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA with a B.S. in political science in 1985 and received her M. Div. from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC in 1989.


Ordained in September 1989, she has served as pastor in three congregations - St. Mark, Roanoke and Good Shepherd, Lexington (both in Virginia) and Abiding Presence, Ewing, NJ. These congregations represent an inner city ministry, a “town and gown” congregation/campus ministry, and a suburban experience. In 1998 she was called to serve as an Assistant to Bishop Roy Riley in the NJ Synod and served in that call until being elected Bishop in June 2013. Bishop Bartholomew was elected to a second six-year term in 2019.
During her time as bishop, she has worked with the 147 congregations of the NJ Synod to become thriving centers for ministry. Bishop Bartholomew encourages experimentation and collaboration in serving our mission to love all God’s people and strengthen the communities in which we are planted.


Two issues have been at the heart of her ministry: reducing gun violence and eradicating racism in all its forms. The Jehu Jones Mission engaged the synod in education and action related to systemic racism while raising close to $100,000 to make amends for the ways the effects of slavery continue to hamper leaders of African descent.


Bishop Bartholomew has served as vice-chair and chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops. As part of the Conference of Bishops, she serves on the new bishop formation team.


Bishop Bartholomew is married to The Rev. B. Daniel Whitener, Jr. They are the parents of Olivia Bartholomew Whitener (married to Kurt Houwen) and Ethan Bartholomew Whitener (married to Kate Jewson).
 

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“Our synod office is located on land which is part of the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape, called “Lenapehoking.” The Lenape People lived in harmony with one another upon this territory for thousands of years. During the colonial era and early federal period, many were removed west and north, but some also remain among the continuing historical tribal communities of the region: The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation; the Ramapough Lenape Nation; and the Powhatan Renape Nation, The Nanticoke of Millsboro Delaware, and the Lenape of Cheswold Delaware. We acknowledge the Lenni-Lenape as the original people of this land and their continuing relationship with their territory. In our acknowledgment of the continued presence of Lenape people in their homeland, we affirm the aspiration of the great Lenape Chief Tamanend, that there be harmony between the indigenous people of this land and the descendants of the immigrants to this land, “as long as the rivers and creeks flow, and the sun, moon, and stars shine.”

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