Nebraska Synod ELCA

Pastor Carol Mapa has been the Administrator of the Parish Ministry Associate (PMA) program since 2014. She also served as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, rural Gothenburg until she retired from that call last year. She is now planning to retire from her Administrator role at the end of August. Pastor Carol has been deeply engaged with the PMA program during a period of experimentation and growth, including the “PMA Surge” effort that saw a large number of new PMA students begin a concentrated course of studies. In addition to her day-to-day work overseeing the administration of the PMA program, Carol is also frequently a guest preacher, inviting people to consider becoming PMAs, or encouraging others to, as she travels the state proclaiming the good news.

Pastor Carol notes that while the opportunity to become the Administrator was an unexpected one, it has led to great joy and satisfaction. “I have loved working with lay people in the Nebraska Synod ELCA who have responded to a nudging of the Holy Spirit; desiring to grow in their faith and a deeper understanding of the Lutheran way of life.  I have a deep fondness for the PMA community and my prayers will continue as the program grows and continues to play a vital role in developing future leaders in the Nebraska Synod ELCA.”

Carol and her husband, Pastor Jon Mapa (who will be retiring from his Assistant to the Bishop role in late November) will be moving to Minnesota to be near to their daughter and other family in retirement. She leaves with the best wishes of the Nebraska Synod, and with deep gratitude for her ministry with the PMA program.