There are three new members to the Southwest California Synod Staff: the Rev. Marjorie Funk-Pihl, the Rev. Lorie (LB) Tatum and Desta Goehner.

All recently began their work and are looking forward to serving the more than 120 congregations in the five counties of Southwest California Synod's territory.

Funk-Pihl, Tatum and Goehner are the final members of the synod staff to be hired since Bishop Guy Erwin took office in September 2013.

"I am thankful to have a team of such capable leaders in our synod and move forward with the work that I hope to accomplish," said Bishop Guy Erwin. "Each of them brings special gifts for ministry and has a passion for serving a variety of people."

Pastor Marj Funk-Pihl

Pastor Marj Funk-Pihl began on May 9 as Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Mission. She will engage leaders and implement structures and strategies in the areas of mission, education, and stewardship. She will also serve as the Director for Evangelical Mission for the synod.

"I am looking forward to working with the diversity of the synod's many congregations and to support the mission of God," she said. "This synod is blessed to have many leaders who are actively engaged in mission and the ministry of our greater church."

The role of the Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Mission, working with Bishop Erwin, the Synod Council, staff, and the ELCA's Congregational and Synodical Mission (CSM), will focus on translating synod goals into mission, identify and accompany new and renewing congregations, advance ethnic ministries, and energize generosity toward mission.

Pastor Funk-Pihl will also oversee the synodical mission strategy, including the redevelopment and new start congregations, mission support and ethnic-specific ministries of the synod by working with Bishop Erwin, Synod Council and the staff.

She has been in ministry for nearly 20 years.  

Before her call as the Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Mission, she served as the senior pastor at Mt. Carmel in San Luis Obispo--one of the 126 congregations in the synod. Before coming to the Southwest California Synod, Funk-Pihl was the associate pastor at First Lutheran of Richmond Beach in Shoreline, Washington.

"We are delighted to welcome Pastor Marj to this key role in guiding the mission, education, and stewardship of congregation life," said Synod Council Vice President Joyce Thompsen.  "She brings exceptional energy, excitement, skills, experience, and commitment to uplift our mission throughout our synod."

Pastor Funk-Pihl graduated from the University of Southern California in 1981, where she majored in drama. She received her Master of Biblical Literature from Seattle Pacific University in 1993 and a Certificate of Advanced Theological Studies from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1996. She is working towards a Master of Global Leadership in 2015 from Fuller Theological Seminary.

She is also a mother of two: Sarah Pihl, a junior at San Luis Obispo High and Riley Pihl, a sophomore at Boston University. She has been married to her husband, Marshall, for 28 years.

Pastor LB Tatum

Pastor Lorie (LB) Tatum has been called as the Director for African Descent Ministries and began his work in May.

Pastor Tatum's role is part-time with the synod. He will report to Bishop Erwin and will work with the ELCA's Multicultural Ministries of the Congregation and Synodical Mission Unit (CSM).

As Director for African Descent Ministries, Tatum will help build and develop a leadership team that will imagine, oversee and translate the synod's goals and strategies for African Descent ministries into programming.

"I am extremely humbled and honored to be a part of the gifted group of leaders in the synod," stated Tatum. "It is my prayer that my background in community organizing, civic engagement and social justice advocacy would help sustain the missional goals of the ethnic specific congregations in our synod."

He will also organize educational and outreach programs for African Descent congregations and leaders, and coordinate any needed synodwide events.

Pastor Tatum also serves as pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Los Angeles and is the National President of the African Descent Lutheran Association.

"CSM is looking forward to LB's leadership and partnership as he serves the Southwest California Synod, CSM and ELCA partners as he begins his work in African Descent Ministries," said Evelyn Soto of CSM. "It is our hope to utilize LB's gifts and passion for community organizing for mission within the local community."

He is a graduate of the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) in Berkeley, California. TEEM is a non-residential certificate program and contextual-educational arm of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary aimed at preparing women and men for ordained ministry in the ELCA. In the TEEM program, students study at home with local pastors and mentors, while doing the ministry in a congregation, and students meet together on campus three times a year with their professors.

Before becoming a rostered leader of the ELCA, Tatum has served as the Minister of Youth and Families at Ascension Lutheran Church in Los Angeles. He has three children: Shafari, Jordan and Sydney.

Desta Goehner

Desta Goehner is no stranger to the Southwest California Synod. At the end of April, she began as the Executive Assistant to the Bishop and will also be working in the area of Faith Formation.

Goehner's position is twofold: one, dealing with the tasks of an executive assistant such as being Bishop Erwin's scheduler and dealing with some of his correspondence; and the other, serving the rostered leaders and lay leaders involved with children, family, youth, young adults, and campus ministries.

"I am thrilled that Bishop Erwin knows that young people are an important part of this church and wants to have an advocate for them on Synod Staff," said Goehner. "It is a great honor and privilege for me to serve in this role and as his assistant. It is my goal in the next three months to meet with 30 people in this synod involved in faith formation of young people to ask how I can be a support to them in ministry. If you'd like to connect with me, please contact me in the office."

Her experience with faith formation is varied and includes involvement in the synod and Churchwide ministries for many years. Goehner currently serves on the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza planning team and was a full-time youth minister for seven years at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ventura. Following her time at Trinity, she became a member of the Lutheran Retreats, Camps and Conference's staff specializing in social media, communications and special events.

"Desta has a many gifts serving a variety of people in the synod," said Bishop Erwin. "She has been a long advocate for youth and I am thankful to have her serving as a member of the Synod Staff and assisting me."  

Goehner graduated from California Lutheran University in 1997 with a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts. She is also a Convocator for the University and leads monthly sessions for the University community on spiritual practices, which is sponsored by CLU Campus Ministries. She is also a certified spiritual director from Spiritual Directors International.

She and her husband, Erik, an ELCA pastor, have been married for 15 years. They have three young children: Maya, Dryden and Piper and they currently reside in Camarillo.