Rev. Jason Churchill

The Rev. Jason Churchill serves as the Senior Pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ithaca, New York, and as the Dean of the Southern Tier Conference of the Upstate New York Synod. He is also the Lutheran Campus Chaplain for Cornell University and Ithaca College and the Protestant Chaplain to their communities. In addition to his pastoral ministry, he serves as the Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the Upstate New York Synod, fostering dialogue and collaboration between faith traditions.

Originally from the Chicagoland area, Pastor Churchill attended Elmhurst College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Political Science. Before discerning a call to ministry, he worked in political campaigns, sales, and higher education. He later attended the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where he earned a Master of Divinity with emphases in Biblical Studies and Jewish-Christian Dialogue, particularly in the theological discourse that emerged after the Shoah (Holocaust). His studies also examined genocide and its lasting impact on theology and interfaith relations.

Pastor Churchill was ordained in 2016 to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and was called to serve St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Under his leadership, St. Stephen’s expanded its outreach to address food insecurity through the largest-volume food pantry in the state and worked to confront the systemic causes of hunger. The congregation became a hub for the arts, hosting community galleries, concerts, and citywide vigils in response to injustice. During this time, he also served as the Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the Delaware-Maryland Synod.

In 2021, Pastor Churchill was called to St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ithaca. At St. Luke, he continues his commitment to justice-centered ministry, fostering a community that is Christ-centered, celebratory, and committed to belonging. The congregation, a Reconciling in Christ community, actively supports LGBTQIA+ individuals, anti-racism initiatives, and the arts. Under his leadership, St. Luke has strengthened its engagement with Lutheran Campus Ministry at Cornell and Ithaca College, offering hospitality through events such as free community meals, Bible studies, and spiritual care opportunities for students. As part of the church’s commitment to the community, Pastor Jason also serves on the board of the new community organization the Collegetown Neighborhood Collective. 

Pastor Churchill is currently pursuing a doctorate at United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, focusing on the intersection of gender and queerness in extracanonical texts and the early Jesus movement. His research centers on The Thunder, Perfect Mind, exploring its portrayal of the divine feminine and its potential to challenge patriarchal structures within Christian tradition. Through his academic and pastoral work, he advocates for a Christianity that resists imperial influences and embraces the liberative power of faith. His scholarship and ministry seek to empower churches and their leaders to question, comprehend, and embody the teachings of Christ in ways that are inclusive, justice-oriented, and transformative.

Pastor Churchill and his husband, Craig, were married in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood in 2013. They now reside in Cortland, New York, where they enjoy gardening and restoring native plant habitats. They share a love for the arts, including concerts, musicals, and gallery exhibitions, and are enthusiastic supporters of Finger Lakes wineries. Together, they care for a rescue dog, a menagerie of cats, and a small flock of chickens. Pastor Churchill enjoys cooking, reading, period dramas, BBC comedies, and some science fiction.

At the heart of his ministry is a passion for creating spaces where faith and justice intersect, where theological reflection leads to meaningful action, and where all people can encounter the radical grace and love of God.