Important Announcement from Pastor Lamar Bailey
Grace and peace from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
After a long period of discernment and spiritual direction, I have decided to resign from synod staff effective July 14, 2023. This was not an easy or quick decision, but I have learned over and over again to trust and follow the movement of the Holy Spirit!
I am grateful for the time I have spent serving on synod staff with Bishop Ortiz. I give thanks to all those who have prayed for, cared for, and supported me on this amazing journey. I truly felt your love and affection. My heart is full of gratitude for all the people who worked closely with me to bring ministries to life in our synod.
I will deeply miss working with the synod staff, and I praise God for bringing them into my life. Together, we had many highs and lows. I will never forget how the entire staff rallied together to support the work of the synod while I was serving as interim Bishop. In these polarized times, we as a staff have witnessed and experienced sexism, racism, and the impacts of economic inequality. With the comfort of prayer, scripture, and community, we supported and cared for one another.
I ask that you keep Bishop Ortiz and synod staff in your prayers. Beyond prayers, I ask that you continue to respect and support Bishop Ortiz and the staff in their ministry for the synod.
In Christ,
Pastor Lamar Bailey
Director of Evangelical Mission & Assistant to the Bishop
A Note from Bishop Leila Ortiz
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
The news of Pastor Lamar’s resignation may come as a surprise to many. However, Pastor Lamar has been in discernment for quite some time and in transparent conversation with me along the way. While I will miss his presence among us dearly, I could not be more proud to have served in this role with someone with undeniable integrity and a profound love for and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We thank Pr. Lamar for his witness and friendship and we bless him as he goes on to live and lead in response to the demands of the gospel in a new setting.
En Cristo,
Rev. Leila M. Ortiz
Bishop of the Metro D.C. Synod