Introducing Deacon Nick Bates As the Interim Executive Director of the Ohio Council of Churches

The Governing Board of the Ohio Council of Churches is pleased to announce that it has called Deacon Nick Bates as the Interim Executive Director of the Ohio Council of Churches. For over a hundred years, the Council has been a Jesus Christ movement for unity, justice, and peace. Deacon Bates began this new call on January 1st of this year.  He will serve in a half-time capacity.

Deacon Bates brings extensive experience to the Council in the ecumenical and interfaith arenas.  Since 2004, Nick has worked in the non-profit advocacy and organizing sector on issues related to state budget and tax policy, immigration, voting rights, fair wages, multi-system youth, school funding, and much more. 

Nick is a graduate from Capital University (2006), as well as Capital Law School and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 2012. Deacon Bates passed the bar in 2012 and was ordained in November 2014.

Nick serves as a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) called to ministries of advocacy and social justice. He serves on various committees and boards within the faith community.

Beginning in 2016, Deacon Bates was called to serve part-time as the director of the Hunger Network in Ohio, while continuing to coordinate a secular state budget coalition group. He continued to serve both with Ohio Voice and the Hunger Network in Ohio until 2023, when he became a full-time employee of the Hunger Network. 

Deacon Bates has earned the respect of many secular advocacy groups, having been chosen to serve more than 2 years as a co-chair of the state's leading health and human services coalition in 2023. 

Deacon Bates is married to Katie, an elementary school music teacher in Madison County.  Together they have two children.