Bishop Mark W. Holmerud encouraged congregational response to the insistent urgings of the Spirit to engage in the communities and neighborhoods where God has planted them. Ten congregations received $5,000 ministry grants for outreach in their communities and will share their stories at the 2017 assembly. —Kathye Hamm
Upstate New York, June 5-7, Buffalo, N.Y. (upstatenysynod. org/assembly). “Racial justice is not for the faint of heart,” ELCA pastor Cheryl Stewart Pero told the assembly, which met around the theme “In Christ One New Humanity” and focused on racial justice. Participants sought to re-root themselves in the unity of Christ and take a step toward honest dialogue about race relations and white privilege. —Katie Yahns
South Carolina, June 9-11, Columbia, S.C. (
scsynod.us/ norvelgoffsermon). Voting members memorialized the 2016 Churchwide Assembly, calling for a task force charged with the consideration of a global mission conference of all the ELCA’s historical mission partners around the world. An original play about Martin Luther was presented. In his sermon, Norvel Goff from Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., the site of a mass shooting in June 2015, called for forgiveness. —Neal Fischer
Indiana-Kentucky, June 9-11, South Bend, Ind. Bishops of both companion synods, Willem Simarmata (Batak Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia) and Izani Bruch (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile), delivered keynote addresses. In Saturday’s keynote Andre Gingerich Stoner of the
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Mennonite Church USA and Kathryn Johnson, director for ELCA Ecumenical and Inter- Religious Relations, talked about the mutually transforming steps of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation taking place between Mennonites and Lutherans. Members from eight local Mennonite communities led participants in a capella song of praise to close the assembly. —Leslie French
Western North Dakota, June 10-11, Bismarck, N.D. (
wndsynod.org/synod- assembly/summary).Under the theme of “Living in God’s Abundance, the assembly explored giftedness and vocation. Congregations and assembly members shared more than $95,000 with ELCA World Hunger through its “Bringin’ Home the Bacon” project and #HungerRide. —Sherie Heine
Flippin, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Atlanta, reminded participants that “as Christians, we do not have the right to remain silent” about injustice. Workshops were offered about justice issues. Sleeping mats made of plastic bags were assembled throughout the assembly and blessed for their use at the Halifax Urban Ministries in Daytona Beach. —Irene Flynn
La Crosse Area, June 10-12, Decorah, Iowa (lacrosse
areasynod.org/assembly). Congregations brought their cows to the assembly. The 142 decorated wooden cows symbolized the synod’s commitment to fighting world hunger through members’ pledges of $500 per cow, netting more than $71,000 for ELCA World Hunger. The synodwide project was entirely lay led, with congregation members donating their money as well as their time and talents to decorate the cows, which sported everything from children’s and professional artwork to dresses and hats. —Gayda Hollnagel
At the Western North Dakota Synod Assembly, Taryn Montgomery received the ELCA’s Dr. Richard Lee Peterman Award for her efforts in modeling and teaching holistic stewardship. In the past five years, her congregation, Bread of Life Lutheran, Minot, N.D., has grown their mission support by more than 2,000 percent.
Florida-Bahamas, June 10-12, Daytona Beach, Fla. (fbsynod. com/events/synod-assembly). “Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters” was a fitting theme as the assembly was held by the rolling waters of the Atlantic Ocean. At the closing eucharist, William
Southwestern Minnesota, June 10-11, St. Peter, Minn. (
wmnelca.org). The synod formally launched a funding initiative, “Embrace God’s Mission, Equip God’s People,” focused on congregational vitality, local and global ministry, and developing servant leaders, including the ministerial excellence fund. Cash and pledges of $616,540 were announced. The synod also approved the dissolution of the corporation of Lutheran Campus Ministry of Minnesota by January 2018 following the other five Minnesota synods. This moves the funding and administration of Lutheran Campus Ministry to the local sites and synod. —Linda M. Pedersen
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