Emmy Kegler (they/she) is a queer Christian, mama, wife, author, pastor, and speaker called to ministry at the margins of the church.
As a preacher and writer, Emmy is passionate about curating worship and theological practices that dismantle barriers to those historically marginalized by Christian practice. They believe in and work for a church rooted in accessibility, intentionality, integrity, and transformation, knowing that God is already out ahead of us creating expansive space for those most hungry for the good and liberating news of Jesus.
Emmy has a Master’s in Divinity from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minn., and is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. They were raised in the Episcopal Church and spent some time in evangelical and non-denominational traditions before finding their home in the ELCA. For six years they served as the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Northeast Minneapolis, a small servant-hearted neighborhood congregation focused on feeding the hungry and community outreach, where they co-founded the Queer Grace Community, a group of LGBTQIA+ Christians in the Twin Cities meeting for worship, Bible study, and fellowship.
Emmy’s first book, One Coin Found: How God’s Love Stretches to the Margins, tells their story as a queer Christian called to ordained ministry and how it formed their relationship with Scripture. Their second book, All Who Are Weary: Easing the Burden on the Walk with Mental Illness, offers a pastoral and Scriptural accompaniment to those facing symptoms and diagnoses of mental illness along with the families, friends, communities, pastors, and therapists who care for them.
When their first child was born in 2022, Emmy transitioned out of called ministry. They currently serve as the blog editor for Church Anew, a ministry resource equipping congregations around the world with worship series, Bible studies, and curricula, along with a digital storytelling platform and weekly newsletter offering original theological and personal reflections by a vast network of Christian thought leaders. Mostly, Emmy spends time with their wife and two preschoolers, adventuring through the playgrounds and parks of Minneapolis.
