Rev. Curry Installed as ELCA Presiding Bishop
On Saturday, October 4, 2025, the Rev. Yehiel Curry will be installed as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Elected during the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Curry becomes the first Black presiding bishop in the denomination’s history.
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will preside over the service, with the Rev. Kevin Vandiver preaching. The event will feature music from the National Lutheran Choir, St. Olaf College musicians, and the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. Leaders from across the ELCA and global ecumenical partners will participate.
The installation is open to the public, with doors opening at 1 p.m. Central. A livestream will be available for those unable to attend in person.
Curry previously served as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and as pastor of Shekinah Chapel in Riverdale, Illinois. His installation marks a significant moment in the ELCA’s journey toward greater inclusion and leadership diversity.