Our Leader: Bishop Tesch

In the ELCA synod bishops serve six-year terms. Their duties are described in detail in Chapter 8 of the Synod Constitution. These duties are carried out in collaboration with a synod staff team, the synod council, conference deans and other leaders throughout the synod.

Bishop Tesch provides leadership to the Northwestern Minnesota Synod by:

• Providing pastoral care for this synod, its congregations, its ministers of Word and Sacrament, and its ministers of Word and Service,
• Preaching the Word and teaching the faith,
• Leading the Synod toward clarity of vision, mission, values and goals,
• Building and maintaining a cohesive synod staff team,
• Ordaining approved and called candidates for rostered ministry,
• Cultivating and maintaining relationships with full communion, ecumenical and interfaith partners,
• Constitutions
• Serving as the president and chief executive officer of the synod.

BIOGRAPHY

Bishop Tesch’s mission statement is: “A Follower of Jesus: Creating Gospel Collaborations with Faithfulness, Authenticity and Love.” Before his election to Bishop, he served as the Director for Evangelical Mission and Associate to the Bishop of the South Dakota Synod. Prior to that he pastored Messiah New Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD first as Mission Developer and later as the congregation’s Senior Pastor. His first call was to a two-point rural and small-town congregation (St. Paul and St. Peter in Humboldt and Orland, SD).

Bishop Tesch is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Luther-Northwestern seminary, the USAF Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, the Air Force Basic Chaplain’s Course and Officer’s Training School.

The Bishop is also a retired Air Force Chaplain, having attained the rank of Colonel before his retirement in 2021. He was a member of the South Dakota Air National Guard and served in two overseas combat deployments.

Bishop Tesch is married to Chris Tesch, who teaches Nursing at the University of South Dakota. He and Chris enjoy time with their adult children and are grateful to be discovering the joys of grandparenting. In his spare time, Bishop Tesch enjoys exercise, hunting, fishing, book club, entertaining friends and family, cheering for the Green Bay Packers… and a host of other hobbies for which he really has no time!

Pastor Rebel was called to serve as the Director for Evangelical Mission in November of 2021. She is a believer in the promise, a lover of people, and an equipper of leaders.

She is a graduate of St. Cloud State University (Social Work and Psychology) and Luther Seminary (M.Div.). She has served the church as a Lay Leader, a Synod Minister, a Mission Developer, a Pastor, a Public Speaker, an ELCA Coach, and a Leader in the ELCA Homeless and Justice Network. She enjoys the work of the DEM/A2B, where all these leadership experiences intersect.  

 Pr. Rebel currently represents the NW MN Synod on the Policy Council of Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota and the Oak Grove Lutheran School Board of Regents. She is also a member of the National Ecclesia Board for Marginalized Ministry and represents the Region 3 DEMs on the DEM Deans Team of the ELCA.

Rebel and her husband, Jeff, have three daughters, Maisie (James), Autumn, and Darby.  Rebel loves to garden, kayak, bike, quilt, decorate, listen to audiobooks, and go on walks with Jeff and their Dachshund, Luna. Rebel and Jeff reside in Moorhead. 

• Preaching and teaching
• Caring for rostered ministers and SAMs, and faith communities
• Support Staff Supervision
• Congregational Vitality and Renewal
• Area Conversations and Strategies/Missional Vision and Planning
• Generosity Cultivator of Stewardship and Mission Support
• Supporting New Ministry/Mission Starts and their Developers
• Rural Revival Ministry
• The Jeremiah 29 Project
• Social and Racial Justice, including the Native Neighbors Table and Hunger Table 
• Commission for Racial Equity and Justice Team Liaison
• Coaching Network
• Storytelling Ministries
• Nurturing Companion Synod Relationships
• Holy Closures