Christ are always worth celebrating because we’re not magnifying our- selves,” she said. “We’re magnifying the Lord. These flutters are signs of what God is doing in us and through us and even in spite of us.” Assembly- goers also interacted with presen- tations from a demographer with Wilder Research and from Peter Har- rits, director for the synod’s compan- ion relationship, to help them take a closer look at their neighbors directly around them, as well as those across the globe. —Chloe Ahlf
Oregon, April 24-26, Sunriver, Ore. (
www.oregonsynod.org/ assembly-2015). Gathering under the theme “Tree of Life: The Root, The Fruit, The Scar,” assembly par- ticipants enjoyed worship, Bible study, conversations and business sessions. Orchardist Ron Brown joined Bishop David Brauer-Rieke for the keynote presentation, where they used the image of grafting a fruit tree to talk about witness and mission in Oregon. Scott Dunfee, an Oregon pastor who recently fin- ished a tour of duty as a chaplain in Afghanistan, spoke about his expe- riences at Saturday’s banquet dinner. —Ryan Marquardt
Northern Texas–Northern Louisiana, April 24-26, Lewisville and Argyle, Texas. More than 600 people attended the dedication of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briar- wood Retreat Center, Argyle. The facility houses the synod offices and has state-of-the-art Internet access, teleconferencing and webcast capac- ity. The campaign to fund the project raised $3,190,636 over three years.
Guest speakers were David Lose, president of the Lutheran Theologi- cal Seminary at Philadelphia, and Rich Melheim, founder of Faith Inkubators. The assembly also heard about preparations for the 2016 elec- tion of a bishop. —Ann Hafften
E a s t e r n Wa s h i n gt o n- Idaho, April 24-26, Pasco, Wash. Participants gathered in the name of Jesus and to do the work of the synod under the theme “Like A Watered Garden: A Theology of Water, Worship and the World Around Us.” Speakers were Benjamin Stewart, professor of theol- ogy at the Lutheran School of Teol- ogy at Chicago, and Susan Briehl, an associate with the Valparaiso Proj- ect on Education and Formation of People in Faith. They spoke on the importance of water in our lives—in our daily lives and in our baptism. Margaret Payne, ELCA director for mission support, shared her knowl- edge of mission support (income from congregations that is shared with the ELCA’s 65 synods and churchwide organization), showing what it does and how the ELCA can do more col- lectively than smaller groups can. Participants worshiped together at an altar that appeared to be flowing with water and sang hymns that showed their connection to the earth and its water. —Gib Dominguez
Rocky Mountain, May 1-3, Salt Lake City (
http://rmselca.org/synod/ assembly). Bishop Jim Gonia and Elder Von G. Keetch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ (LDS) First Quorum of the Seventy addressed the assembly in Salt Lake City with a dialogue on mission.
Keetch said the LDS is a fourfold mis- sion to perfect the saints, proclaim the gospel, redeem the dead, and care for the poor and needy. Gonia spoke of a shift in language in the ELCA from the “church’s mission” to “God’s mission” in the world. They found common ground in Christ’s com- mand to “love one another.” Assem- bly participants then visited Temple Square and other LDS sites. —Kent Mueller
Arkansas-Oklahoma, May 1-3, Tulsa, Okla. (
www.aokelca.org/#/leader- info/assembly-2015). The theme for this year’s assembly was “God’s Love in Action: Education, Service & Advocacy.” With all these people at the assembly, what better way to put God’s “Love in Action” than by serving others? About 100 mem- bers, both youth and adults, worked in neighboring Global Gardens (science and gardening sites on or near school grounds), assisted the American Red Cross or made quilts for Lutheran World Relief. In addi- tion to education and service dur- ing the assembly, voting members approved a three-year, $1.5 million campaign for “Inspired Leadership, Growing Ministries, Vibrant Con- nections & Sharing Abundance.” —Laura Bunch
Southwestern Texas, May 1-3, McAl- len, Texas. The assembly welcomed what are believed to be the 499th and 500th new ELCA congregations, Spirit in the Hills in Spicewood and Spirit of Joy in Seguin (see page 8). Voting members resolved to call on congregations to engage in study regarding the marriage of same-
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