ELCA 'herchurch' in San Francisco promotes 'goddess' worship, features 'resident witch'
Church aims to 'deconstruct Christianity and other patriarchal religions'
A Lutheran church in San Francisco that was founded nearly 150 years ago now worships a “goddess” and has a “resident witch” on staff.
Formerly known as Ebenezer Lutheran Church, “herchurch" is a congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and is part of the progressive denomination’s Sierra Pacific Synod, which consists of approximately 180 “worshipping communities” across Northern California and Northern Nevada, according to its website.
Founded by Swedish immigrants in 1882, Ebenezer Lutheran changed its name to “herchurch” around 2007, when its membership was around 115 congregants, according to a cached version of the ELCA website.
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The staff, which is led by “pastor and priestess of ritual” Stacy Boorn, includes over a half dozen “priestesses” and a “priestexx” Thom Longino, who is listed as “adjunct pastor” and “spiritual director.” A CP review of Longino’s LinkedIn profile also revealed that he is an employee of Catholic Charities San Francisco.
A video of Longino discussing his work with homeless LGB-identified youth at San Francisco Night Ministry is featured on the YouTube page of Megan Rohrer, who made headlines in 2021 as the first openly trans-identified bishop to serve in a major denomination.
Rohrer was later suspended after allegedly using “racist” language.
One of herchurch’s “priestesses,” Christine Konkol, identifies as a “resident witch” and is seen in a photo on the church website wearing a traditional witch’s hat.
Described as an “open and affirming community” where all are “loved in the love of Christ-Sophia and the Great Mother of us All,” the church’s website calls “all expressions of gender identity…a blessing.”
As part of its about section, its website calls herchurch an “emerging, liberating feminist congregation” which is “hoping to be a part of the prophetic voice of the divine feminine that will deconstruct Christianity and other patriarchal religions.”
The site also offers visitors language to use in a so-called “goddess rosary,” which states, “Hail Goddess, full of grace. Blessed are You and blessed are all the fruits of your womb. You are the Mother of us all. Hear/ Heal us now and in all our [dreams]/needs. O blessed be, O blessed be. Sophia, Ah-She.”
Painted in bright purple and lavender colors to “help proclaim this liberating love,” the church building hangs a sign above its front entrance which reads “Celebrate the Goddess.”
A copy of the church’s “liturgy of the divine feminine” states the service’s objective of “honoring the ancient mother” Julian of Norwich, who is widely recognized as the first woman to publish a book in the English language.
The church has over 100 pieces of feminine-focused artwork on display, including one profane piece described as a “bisexual love letter to vulvas” featuring female genitalia.
CP reached out to ELCA for comment on herchurch’s status in the denomination. This story will be updated if a response is received.
Over the last decade, the ELCA has experienced a considerable decline in membership amid growing ecclesiastical and doctrinal divides between member congregations. In 2013, the ELCA reportedly had over 3.9 million members. The figure dropped to around 3.3 million members by the end of 2020. The most recent figures show a membership of fewer than 3 million members.
