Synod Staff

Bishop MELISSA LARSEN STOLLER

Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Bishop

412-367-8222
melissa.stoller@swpasynod.org

Seminary: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Contact Bishop Stoller for:
Constitutional Queries
Synod Council Matters
Situations of Crisis, Including Misconduct
Committee Appointments
Congregational Celebrations
Ecumenical Affairs

The Rev. Melissa L. Stoller was elected on June 13 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She is the first woman to hold the position of Bishop in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod.

The election took place during the synod assembly, held June 12-14 at La Roche University. Rev. Stoller was elected on the fourth ballot with 189 votes.

“In these liminal times, it is important that we strengthen our ties,” Rev. Stoller said, “so that we may be Church together, communities of justice of hope, sharing the Good News with our neighbors.”

The bishop-elect has served as Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM) and Assistant to the Bishop for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod since 2017. Prior to this role, she was Pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania (2011–2016), Trinity Lutheran Church in Cook, Minnesota (2005–2010), and Intern Pastor at the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy in Russia (2003–2004). Before entering ordained ministry, she worked in housing and healthcare advocacy for the Minnesota Senior Federation. Her current synod leadership includes stewardship coaching, transitional ministry training, and vocational formation initiatives.

Rev. Stoller earned her Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Governmental Affairs from Augustana University.