Synod assemblies Service, mission top gatherings


Editor’s note: This year The Lutheran asked synod communicators to share a highlight from assemblies, which ended in June. What made a difference to par- ticipants? What was the most impor- tant part of the assembly? Responses received by presstime are included on these pages. When provided, there is a Web address for more information. Assembly reports also appeared in the July issue (page 38).


North Carolina, May 28-30, Greens- boro, N.C. (www.nclutheran.org/ about/assembly.php). The assem- bly met under the theme “Forward Together.” Voting members elected a new leader (see page 40) and con- ferred emeritus status on Bishop Leonard Bolick. A mission strategy was adopted. Home Mission Founda- tion presented $375,000 to help Joy of Discovery Lutheran Church, Raleigh, N.C., secure a site. Chad Rimmer (Senegal) and Kari Eller (Argen- tina) shared information about their service as ELCA missionaries. —Bob Shoffner


Education, speakers & service highlight synod gatherings


For the Sake of the World.” Vot- ing members approved supporting Always Being Made New: The Cam- paign for the ELCA and the Vision 2018 plan, which seeks to strengthen the synod in the ways of discipleship, communication, connectedness and leadership. —Julie Stecker


South Carolina, May 28-30, Spar- tanburg, S.C. (www.scsynod.com/ index.php?page=2015-Assembly). Public education and poverty issues were a main focus. Voting members resolved to pray for school leaders and students; find ways for congre- gations to partner with local schools; and called on their bishop and those appointed by that office to advocate with legislative and education offi- cials the commitment of the state’s Lutherans to help meet the needs of the education system. Tammy Paw- loski, director of the Center of Excel- lence to Prepare Teachers of Children of Poverty at Francis Marion Univer- sity, Florence, S.C., spoke to the con- nection between poverty and child- hood learning. —Neal Fischer


Nebraska, May 28-30, Kearney, Neb. (www.nebraskasynod.org/assembly/ summary). Under the theme “Formed by Faith: The Work of God’s Hand,” the assembly focused on faith forma- tion strategies in the 21st century. It endorsed a five-year strategic mission and vision plan for the synod, and adopted a resolution supporting voca- tional development in congregations. —Mitch McCartney


Delaware-Maryland, May 28-30, Ocean City, Md. (www.demdsynod. org/synod-assembly-2015.html). The theme was “Walking Together:


36 www.thelutheran.org


Upstate New York, May 28-30, Roch- ester, N.Y. (http://upstatenysynod. org/updates/unys-2015-synod- assembly-live-stream). Service abounded as participants gathered around the theme “God’s Story, Our Voices,” telling the story of God’s creative, redeeming and sustaining love. Brenda Smith, ELCA program director for faith practices, and David Lose, president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadel- phia, encouraged participants to go out and tell God’s story in the world. Volunteers prepared 19,008 rice and


bean meals for the hungry; $53,000 was raised for ELCA World Hunger with the theme “Join the Disciple Ship”; and 300 pounds of can tabs were recycled for Walk for Water. —Patsy Glista


Southeastern Iowa, May 29-30, West Des Moines, Iowa (www.seiasynod. org/assembly). Gathered under the theme “In the Name of Jesus,” the assembly was joined by guest artist Paul Oman and the Heart- land Youth Choir. Voting members passed three resolutions, updated compensation guidelines for ros- tered leaders, and elected voting members to the 2016 ELCA Church- wide Assembly. The assembly was challenged to encourage others in ministry through a special appear- ance by Kid Bishop (www.youtube. com/watch?v=R8oFbrLAHdg). —Valerie Harlynn


Rick Mollenkopf-Grill holds up a completed case of beans and rice meals as part of the Upstate New York Synod Assemby’s service project.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52