BISHOP

CENTRAL STATES SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

Donna Simon is the fifth bishop of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Her territory covers all of the states of Missouri and Kansas, including 149 congregations, multiple campus ministries, four synod-authorized ministries, and two outdoor ministries. Rev. Simon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, a Masters of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, and a Doctor of Ministry from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.  

In October of 2000, she was ordained extra ordinem, in violation of church policies preventing LGBTQIA+ leaders from serving as ordained ELCA clergy. When those policies changed in 2009, Simon was received to the ELCA clergy roster. She served St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO from 2000 until being elected bishop in June of 2025.

Bishop Simon is passionate about justice for all people, inclusion of persons pressed to the margins, and her family—wife Colleen, son Dominic, a great old dog named Beasley, and three confounding cats.

PANELIST

BAD FAITH SCREENING & DISCUSSION PANEL – FRI, NOV 14

Join us for the critically acclaimed documentary Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy. This documentary reveals how Christian Nationalism has become one of the most powerful political forces in the nation. Dig deeper after the screening with a discussion panel.