Yehiel Curry

Yehiel Curry (born July 26, 1972) is an American Mainline Protestant prelate who has served as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) since October 2025.

Ministry Before his election as presiding bishop, he served as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and prior to that he served as a pastor of Shekinah Chapel Lutheran Church. He was first elected synod bishop in 2019 and was re-elected for a second term in June 2025.

In July 2025, he was elected for a six-year term as Presiding Bishop, beginning on October 1, to succeed Elizabeth Eaton, at the age of 53. He is the first African-American and person of color to be Presiding Bishop,

His installation, which ceremonially marked the beginning of his term as presiding bishop, took place on October 4, 2025 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.