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Rev. Carlton Rodgers
Rev. Carlton Rodgers is a rostered pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is now entering his 22nd year of service as pastor of the Tabernacle Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA.
A graduate of Drexel University, Rev. Rodgers went on to earn his Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 2005.
Prior to his becoming a Lutheran, Rev. Rodgers was a life long member of the historic Mother African Zoar United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, Pa. — one of the oldest and most influential African American congregations in the nation.
Founded in 1794 by 18 Black members who separated from St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church due to racial discrimination, Zoar holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating African American congregation in the United Methodist tradition. Its legacy is deeply intertwined with early Methodism, racial justice, and the shaping of Black religious life in Philadelphia.
Before entering full‑time ministry, Rev. Rodgers spent more than 25 years employed as a Systems Analyst at the Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC) in Philadelphia, a facility long responsible for supplying food, clothing, textiles, and medical materials to U.S. military forces around the world.
During his tenure at DPSC, Carlton began formal theological studies at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary before transferring to the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, where he completed his Master of Divinity. While at LTSP, he chose to join the Lutheran tradition and entered the SEPA Synod’s candidacy process. He was soon appointed to serve as the long‑term supply pastor at the Calvary Lutheran Church in West Philadelphia, under the mentorship of the late Rev. Richard Stewart.
Rev. Rodgers eventually received a part‑time call to Calvary Lutheran Church in West Philadelphia and was ordained and installed as its pastor by Bishop Roy Almquist on January 13, 2002. Shortly after his retirement from federal employment, Rev. Rodgers was called to Tabernacle on a part time basis in July 2003, and accepted a call to pastor the church on a fulltime basis in October 2004.
Rev. Rodgers has spent the past twenty years as a steadfast, outspoken champion for the Lutheran congregations of Philadelphia and for the pastors called to lead them. During this period, Carlton has offered dedicated service to both the local church and the SEPA Synod in several key roles:
Dean of the Central Philadelphia Conference — serving two terms within the SEPA Synod
Webmaster for the African American Lutheran Association (AALA)
Vice President of Urban Seeds Inc. within the SEPA Synod
Founding member of the LIFE Exchange (Lutherans In Fellowship Exchange)
Founding member of the Cobbs Creek Coalition of Lutheran Churches
Carlton has also been invited to speak at multiple SEPA Synod Assemblies (2008, 2017) and delivered the keynote message for the Metro NY African Descent Lutheran Association’s annual MLK Service in 2022.
Beyond his pastoral leadership, Rev. Rodgers serves the wider church as an active-status coach in the ELCA Coaching Network. He is a certified grief coach and holds the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). In this ministry, Carlton coaches first-call pastors, facilitates group coaching for participants in the ELCA’s Horizon Apprentice program, and supports the training and assessment of individuals seeking foundational coaching skills or pursuing formal coaching pathways.
Rev. Rodgers along with the Rev. Paul Hagedorn are co-authors of the "Fortifying Ministries in Underserved Urban Areas” memorial that was formally adopted by the churchwide Assembly in 2024 which calls for a churchwide discussion on the changing needs of Lutheran congregations and pastors serving in an urban context.
Recognizing that many Lutheran congregations in our region’s urban neighborhoods are doing powerful ministry while facing significant financial challenges, struggling to maintain aging buildings and provide fair compensation for their pastors, this resolution calls for a churchwide effort to strengthen and support these ministries.
The resolution asks the ELCA to:
Form a task force to study the financial realities of urban congregations
Examine pastoral compensation and benefits in underserved areas
Explore new ways the wider church can help, including shared funding models and urban internship programs
The goal is simple and hopeful: to ensure that urban congregations—and the pastors who serve them—have the resources they need to continue their vital ministry. This resolution reflects our shared commitment to justice, equity, and the flourishing of all God’s people.
While employed at DPSC, Rev. Rodgers was actively involved in creating a climate of equal employment opportunity for all employees and served as the President of DPSC's Minority Male Alliance.
At the time, MMA was the only federally sanctioned self help support group organized to assist in the upward mobility of federally employed males of color.
