Rev. Dr. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras serves as pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Neenah, Wisconsin. Born and raised in Bethlehem, Palestine, she is the first Palestinian woman ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Her deep love for Scripture began in childhood at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Bethlehem, where her spiritual and educational foundation was shaped.
Rev. Dr. Sarras holds a Ph.D. in Old Testament from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology in Biblical Studies, a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Christian Education. She is passionate about biblical literacy, theological education, and social justice.
She has taught courses in feminist, womanist, and mujerista theology through the ELCA East-Central Synod of Wisconsin and has offered adult education in interfaith understanding and feminist theology through the University of Wisconsin Extension in Wausau, WI. A sought-after speaker and writer, Dr. Sarras contributes regularly to journals and platforms such as The Christian Century, Living Lutheran, Working Preacher, Journal of Lutheran Ethics, and Unbound.
Her scholarly presentations have addressed the intersection of Scripture, justice, and gender, and she has spoken at national and international conferences, including the ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the Society of Biblical Literature. Her writings often draw attention to the voices of the marginalized in the biblical text and today’s world. Rev. Dr. Sarras is an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association of America, and the Orthodox Theological Society in America.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, canning food, reading about politics, Scripture, and theology, and watching documentaries. As both pastor and scholar, she is committed to helping others think critically and faithfully about their faith and the world around them.
Dawn has been a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church for over 22 years. Raised in the Neenah area, she served in the U.S. Air Force and has lived in both England and upstate New York before returning home after her service and college years in Milwaukee. She earned her degree in Occupational Therapy and a master’s in Educational Leadership and currently works as an occupational therapist in a local school district.
Dawn was drawn to St. Mark’s because of the church’s strong outreach and presence in the community. Over the years, she has served in many roles and finds particular joy in her work on the Church Council and the Racial Equity Ministry Team. She values the opportunity to serve alongside others who are committed to living out faith through compassion and action.
Outside of church and work, Dawn enjoys spending time with her family and friends, as well as hiking, kayaking, and traveling. Her travels often connect to service—whether helping with a Habitat for Humanity build in Fiji or learning from Native communities on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.