The annual NEPA Synod Assembly was held on June 8, 2024 at Atonement Church, Wyomissing. The theme for this year was “Hungry For Life Together” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of ELCA World Hunger. Trinity Lutheran Church (TLC) was represented by Senior Pastor Hans Becklin and lay voting members Russ Diesinger and Amy Litvinov. We were also thrilled to see an unexpected musical guest, TLC’s Minister of Music, Karen Eddinger.
Three resolutions were received by the Synod and went before the assembly for consideration. First, the Assembly voted to amend the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Affirmation Statement. This amendment was accepted in order to continue to be in alignment with the Reconciling Works Program upon recommendation from the LGBTQ+ Task Force of the NEPA Synod and with approval of the Racial Justice Ministry Team. If you have the opportunity to watch the recorded Plenary Session 1, you will see TLC Pastor Hans Becklin make a statement in favor of the RIC affirmation and encourage more congregations to become RIC congregations. TLC is 1 of only 12 current NEPA Synod Congregations that is RIC.
Next, the Assembly voted to amend the Synod Bylaws to permit all rostered ministers of Word and Sacrament and ministers of Word and Service under call or retired whose congregational membership is in a congregation of the mission district to be elected and serve as Dean of the mission district. This amendment to the bylaws was made in the hope of increasing the number of candidates available to serve as Dean of a mission district. The Synod recognized that many ministers currently under call are already serving several congregations and occupying various responsibilities. Finally, the Assembly approved the resolution that authorized the creation of a working group to plan the celebration of the Rite of Ordination for Deacons as part of the 2025 Synod Assembly. All resolutions are available on the NEPA Synod webpage at nepasynod.org.
In other business, the Assembly elected members to Synod Council and elected representatives for the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to be held in Phoenix, Arizona. The Assembly also passed the 2025 NEPA Synod budget.
Synod Counsel presented three recommendations to the Assembly for consideration. The Assembly voted in the affirmative to adopt an addition to the synod constitution permitting a Licensed Lay Minister who is serving as a pastoral presence in a congregation or parish of this synod to have voice and vote at the Synod Assembly. The Assembly rejected a recommendation from Synod Counsel to make addition to the constitution giving the synod secretary and synod treasurer status as ex-officio members of the Churchwide Assembly. Finally, the Assembly adopted the proposed bylaw concerning the Archives Committee, BLS11.06.01, as prepared by the Committee on Governance. This bylaw establishes the membership that comprises the Archives Committee along with the responsibilities to be carried out by the committee.
The elected members’ names and biographies, the 2025 synod budget and the recommendations from synod counsel can all be read at length on the NEPA Synod website at nepasynod.org. Recordings of the Synod Assembly are also available at the website.