Virginia Synod Assembly: June 9-11, 2023

The video of Session 5 will become available on Sunday at 8am when the Assembly resumes.

Bishop Election Biographical Forms for These Remaining on the Ballot for Bishop of Virginia Synod

The results of the Sixth Ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod are:

Bishop Phyllis Milton has been elected.

The results of the Fifth Ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod are:

The results of the Fourth Ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod are:

The results of the 3rd Ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod.

Results for 2nd Ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod.

The first ballot contained 45 nominations for the Office of the Bishop and following pastors chose to remain on ballot for Bishop of the Virginia Synod.

Additional Election Results

2023 Virginia Synod Assembly Summary

Helpful Links to Prepare for the 2023 Virginia Synod Assembly

The 2023 Virginia Synod Assembly will take place on the campus of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia from Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11.

Use the button below to download information about the Assembly.

Information on the Assembly

The following meetings have been organized for those discerning synod leadership and those coming as voting members to the 2023 Synod Assembly. All are invited to attend any of the meetings (lay, rostered, voting member or not). Each meeting will be on Zoom and will be recorded and shared via email on this page.

  • Q&A with Synod Council – Monday, April 3, 7pm Anyone discerning a call to serve on Synod Council or those curious to learn more about what Synod Council does should register for this meeting. Synod Council members Pastor Jonathan Boynton and Judy Casteele will answer your questions about serving on the council from a rostered and lay perspective. Recording here.
  • General Information & Voting Procedures – Monday, May 8, 7pm All voting members are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting to get to know the basics of the Assembly and to learn about the voting system we will be using. Recording here.
  • Investment in Ministry Plans – Tuesday, May 9, 7pm Bring your questions about the 2023 and 2024 Investment in Ministry Plans to this meeting. Recording here.
  • Bishop Election Committee Online Gathering – Tuesday, May 16, 7pm Gather with Pastor Leslie Weber, chair of the Bishop Election Committee, to learn about the bishop election process and wonder together about the following questions: Where is God calling the VA Synod? What would the new Bishop’s role be in leading us into fulfilling that calling? What characteristics would it help for a Bishop to have in the synod following God’s calling? Note: This conversation will provide the same information shared during the 2023 Midwinter Power in the Spirit workshop as well as the in-person BEC meetings that are occurring in Conference and Conference Partnerships. Recording here. 

Way in the Wilderness Bible Study

As Virginia Lutherans prepare to gather for the 2023 Synod Assembly, everyone is invited to join in a five-session bible study to explore the theme, The Way in the Wilderness. God is always with God’s people, including joining us in all the wildernesses of life. Jesus calls us in many and various ways to share God’s expansive love in our unique contexts. We are united in the wilderness, even if our journeys are different.

In each session, participants will hear a story about God’s presence in the wilderness, will learn how that story has impacted a synod leader, and will have opportunity to share their wilderness stories too. Each session will help prepare our hearts and minds for the Synod Assembly, assured of God’s presence with us as individuals and together as a synod.

Everyone is welcome to attend: Lay and rostered, voting member or visitor, even if you won’t be onsite for the Assembly in June, you are welcome to join the conversation.

Portions of the sessions will be recorded and shared.

January 23 – Recording

February 27 – Recording

March 27 – Recording

April 24 – Recording

May 22 – Recording

Thank you to our session leaders: Bishop Bob Humphrey, Pastor Kelly Bayer Derrick (Assistant to the Bishop), Pastor John Wertz Jr. (Director for Evangelical Mission), Charles Downs (Synod Council President), and Blythe Scott (Synod Council Secretary).

A Note from the Bishop Election Committee:

As of the May 12th deadline, the Bishop Election Committee had not received at least 7 biographical information forms from pastors who are open to the nomination for bishop. Therefore we will not be releasing any bios ahead of the first ballot. Biographical Information Forms for all nominees whose names will appear on the 2nd ballot will be available in the Assembly App and on the Assembly webpage for voting members to review on Friday (June 9th) at 9 pm.

Ballot Results

Resources from the Bishop Election Committee

Bishop Election Process

Virginia Synod Assembly 2023 CONGREGATIONAL LAY VOTING MEMBERS

Voting Membership of the Assembly:

  • All Rostered Ministers under call on the roster of this synod
  • Congregational Lay Voting Members
  • Lay Officers of the Synod
  • Lay Members of Synod Council
  • If the Constitutionally Required 60% Lay Voting Member and 40% Rostered Voting Member requirement can be satisfied,
    • Retired Rostered Ministers
    • Rostered Ministers on leave from call
    • Rostered Ministers on Disability Leave

Please note that every congregation is entitled to at least two (2) lay voting members, typically of different genders.

Congregations are strongly encouraged to elect, where possible, qualified persons who would express the inclusiveness of the church. EARLY election and certification of voting members are highly desirable so that Assembly committees can be formed in a timely manner with proper representation from the conferences.

Additional Lay Voting Members: Larger congregations are entitled to additional lay voting members on the following basis of baptized members (as of December 31, 2022). For each additional 200 baptized members or portion thereof over 400, the congregation should elect an additional lay voting member.

400 = 2 voting members

401-600 = 3 voting members

601-800 = 4 voting members

801-1000 = 5 voting members

1001-1200 = 6 voting members

Determining Voting Members to the Assembly

The 2023 Virginia Synod Assembly will be electing the following positions:

  • Bishop
  • Synod Vice-President
    • The Virginia Synod Vice President is a layperson elected by the Synod Assembly. The vice president is a volunteer and chairs the Synod Council meetings and is a voting member of the Virginia Synod at the Churchwide Assembly.  The vice president works closely with the Bishop to accomplish long-range visioning for the Virginia Synod and helps the Bishop with a variety of matters.  The vice president is responsible for planning the agenda for Synod Council meetings in a collaborative process with the Bishop, key staff members, and other Council members as appropriate. The vice president also co-chairs Synod Assemblies with the Bishop.  The other duties and responsibilities of the Virginia Synod vice president are notated in the Virginia Synod Constitution S8-20 through S8-23.
  • Synod Secretary
    • The official duties of the Synod Secretary are set by the Virginia Synod Constitution. The Secretary is a member of the Synod Council and provides visionary and administrative leadership with the Virginia Synod. The Secretary should continuously and faithfully work with the Bishop, Vice-President, Synod Council, and Synod Staff to ensure that the work of the Synod is in accordance with the ELCA and the mission of the church. The Secretary is also responsible for ensuring that minutes are recorded at Synod Council meetings and the Synod Assembly, as well as reporting out the minutes and any actions taken by the Assembly.
  • Members of the Virginia Synod Council
  • Other Synod Committees

Download the complete list of Roles to be Elected: 2023 Virginia Synod Roles to be Elected

Forms and Documents for the Assembly

2023 Synod Assembly Forms 

Pre-Assembly Forms