Rolf Lowenberg-DeBoer

Assistant to the Bishop for Lay Leadership and Equity Initiatives

Rolf joined the synod staff in April of 2021. He is a graduate of Luther Seminary (M.A. ’07) and is a lay person. He has worked with Central Lutheran Church as Director of Community Ministries, the Episcopal Church in Minnesota as Missioner for Community Engagement, and several non-profits in the metro area (including City House). His background is in the areas of ending homelessness, spiritual listening, relationship building, and neighborhood engagement. Rolf lives with his wife, Liv, and their 2 children, Vera and Raphy, in White Bear Lake. They spend as much time outside as possible hiking, camping, paddling, and having adventures. Rolf is a long distance trail runner, vegetable gardener, and contemplative activist.

In his role with the synod, Rolf:

Works with lay leaders across the synod on numerous aspects of lay leadership. He equips, connects and supports lay leaders as they seek to engage in God’s mission in their respective contexts and cultures.
Supports equity initiatives around the synod with the Bishop, the Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) work group and individual congregations.
Gathers, supports and learns with and from interim pastors in the synod.
Supports congregations through call processes/mobility (pastoral transitions).
Works with renewal/vitality in the synod with the vitality team.
Serves on the policy council for Lutheran Advocacy Minnesota.

Rolf specializes in the area of deepening spiritual practices by listening to God, each other and our communities. The areas of public witness (justice and service) are of particular interest to him both professionally and personally! He believes experimentation is key to finding what God is already doing and participating in that. He walks with lay leaders and clergy around the synod as they engage in God’s mission.