Bishop Kurt Kusserow, of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, has appointed the Rev. Eric Damon to  LAMPa’s Policy Council. 

Damon is the pastor of Grace and Emmanuel Lutheran Churches in Manorville and Ford City, where he lives with his wife, younger daughter, dog, cats, and chickens. His older daughter still lives in Pittsburgh, but still comes home to visit with some regularity. He supported his family as a carpenter, contractor, and electrician in the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania for over fifteen years before pursuing ordination. He earned his Master’s of Divinity through Luther Seminary’s Distributed Learning Program.  

Bishop Kusserow was asked to reflect on why Damon would be a positive addition to the Policy Council: “I think of Pr. Damon as bi-lingual, by which I mean he speaks fluently both the language of the office of ministry as taught in formal seminary education and the language of working families in small town Western Pennsylvania, having worked as an electrician before entering the public ministry of the church.  He has the trust of his people, and he makes meaningful connections between the public voice of the ELCA and the local experience of small congregations in our synod.  It is our faith in Jesus that binds us all together as one, of course; Pr. Damon speaks with the voice of faith in his ministry context, for which I am very grateful.” 

Pastor Eric Damon serving communion to children in his congregation.

Damon said he serves out of a strong sense of call to small, rural congregational ministry. He enjoys the relational aspects of congregational life and finds public advocacy to be an extension of that work.  

“Luther’s explanation to the second petition in the Lord’s prayer tells us that God’s kingdom will come with or without us but invites us to pray with boldness that it comes for us as well,” Damon said. “I view advocacy work as an opportunity to imagine and work towards that kingdom with that boldness. I am excited for the opportunity to join LAMPa in those efforts. “ 

Please join us in welcoming Eric to LAMPa’s Policy Council!