The Rev. Carla Christopher Wilson is Assistant to the Bishop in charge of Justice Ministries for Lower Susquehanna Synod and also serves as Associate Pastor of Faith Formation and Outreach with Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Lancaster. Having previously served as Co-Chair of L.S.S. Toward Racial Justice Task Force and LGBTQIA+ Affirming Task Force, Carla remains a synod representative in the Statewide Policy Council of LAMPa (Lutheran Advocacy Ministries in PA).

A former Poet Laureate of York, PA, and multiply published writer, Carla regularly writes commentary and essays for ELCA World Hunger, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, Disrupt Worship Project, and others. She is a member of Proclaim (the ELCA affiliated professional organization for out LGBTQIA+ clergy) and has served as Proclaim Representative to United Lutheran Seminary.

A second career pastor, Carla studied psychology, education, and creative writing at Columbia University in the City of New York and spent years as an educator and case manager in domestic violence shelters, state prison systems, and school districts before transitioning to professional community organizing with nonprofits like Food and Water Watch and Put People First – PA and partnering with organizations and institutions as a D.E.I. (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consultant.

Carla has twice received the key to the city for her community empowerment and education initiatives, which range from co-founding Equality Fest, a multi-thousand attendee festival in celebration of LGBTQIA+ Marriage Equality, in 2014 and the Rainbow Rose LGBTQIA+ Resource Center in 2019, to creating a retailer cultural competency training model for urban renewal business districts used by York City. She has been a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for dozens of organizations, nonprofits, and educational institutions around the globe, from Rutgers and Penn State to organizations in Kosovo, Albania, Flint, Chicago, Baltimore, Phoenix and Philadelphia in the last few years alone.

When not “pastoring”, Carla moonlights with the Poetry/Funk Fusion Band, Groove Ink, and spends time with her adored dogs (and human family too) in Lancaster County.