Matthew Bode

A native of the Milwaukee area, Pastor Matthew Bode is a graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, IA and Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA. He has spent time studying in Morogoro, Tanzania as well as Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

A resident of Detroit for more than ten years, he has a passion for the city, issues of justice and preaching in a spirited way. The pastor is active in Acts in Common, a co-leader of the Detroit World AIDS Day Commemoration Worship, and a board member of Friends of Spaulding Court. He is a past dean of the Detroit Lutheran clergy, and a past board member of the Greater Corktown Development Corporation, as well as other civic and community events. Special passions include faith-based engagement of issues of sexuality, HIV, progressive public policy, city development, as well as justice issues around race, class, gender and sexual orientation. He has also been available for numerous mentoring and spiritual education programs regarding the uplifting of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer persons. His blog on life at Spirit of Hope and Detroit can be found at www.spiritofhopedetroit.blogspot.com.