The Rev. Dr. Jason Churchill serves as Senior Pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ithaca, New York, and as Dean of the Southern Tier Conference of the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He also serves as Lutheran Campus Chaplain to Cornell University and Ithaca College, and as Protestant Chaplain within their broader communities. In addition, he serves as Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the synod, fostering relationships across traditions rooted in mutual respect and shared work for the common good.
Dr. Churchill’s vocation is shaped by the intersection of pastoral ministry and theological scholarship. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Political Science from Elmhurst College and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where his studies focused on Biblical interpretation and Jewish–Christian dialogue in the wake of the Shoah. Before entering ministry, he worked in political campaigns and higher education—experiences that continue to inform his leadership and public theology.
Ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA, Dr. Churchill previously served St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Wilmington, Delaware, where he led efforts to address food insecurity, expand community engagement, and cultivate the arts as a vital expression of faith.
At St. Luke, he leads a vibrant, Reconciling in Christ congregation committed to belonging without exception, justice, and creative expression. The congregation’s life is marked by worship that is both rooted and expansive, deep engagement with the surrounding community, and a strong partnership with Lutheran Campus Ministry—offering hospitality, formation, and care to students and neighbors alike. He also serves on the board of the Collegetown Neighborhood Collective, supporting the shared life of the broader Ithaca community.
Dr. Churchill earned his Doctor of Ministry from United Lutheran Seminary. His doctoral thesis, “I Am the Harlot and Holy One: Reading The Thunder, Perfect Mind with the Congregation,” explores how early Christian texts beyond the biblical canon can be engaged as living theological voices. Drawing on feminist, womanist, and queer theological frameworks, his work examines how these texts challenge systems of power and invite the church into deeper, more honest encounters with God, self, and neighbor.
His preaching and teaching reflect this same integration—holding together intellectual rigor and pastoral care, prophetic clarity and deep compassion. He is committed to forming communities where questions are welcomed, faith is lived, and the love of Christ is embodied in acts of justice, reconciliation, and peace.
Outside of ministry, Dr. Churchill enjoys gardening, cooking, music and theatre, and the rich artistic and natural life of the Finger Lakes region. He shares his home with his husband, Craig, along with a lively assortment of animals.
At the heart of his ministry is a simple conviction: that the church is called not only to believe the gospel, but to live it—openly, courageously, and for the sake of the world.
