The Synod Assembly Upstate Update for Wednesday, March 16, 2016
In Christ One New Humanity
 
'Christ creates in himself one new humanity . . . thus making peace.'
Ephesians.2:15b
 
In Christ One New Humanity is the theme for the 2016 Synod Assembly which will be held June 5 - 7, 2016 at the Joseph A. Floreano Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, NY. Accommodations will be at the Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside. Our 2016 focus is on Advocacy and Social Justice with the mission to "Inform, Engage, and Equip the Upstate New York Synod to pursue racial justice." We will look at some of the justice issues that were addressed in resolutions passed by the 2015 Synod Assembly especially those around racial justice. Our Synod Assembly Planning Team volunteers are working diligently to offer an exciting and energizing experience at our 2016 Assembly. There will be opportunities to participate in worship, synod business, to learn how your congregation can access and use racial justice tools provided by our synod's Racial Justice Task Force, attend workshops, explore the Mission Expo, and much more.
 
Registration opens April 1, 2016. The registration fee is still $95. Hotel ($109/night) and food costs are in addition to the registration fee and will be listed on the registration page when available. Synod Assembly is open to all who want to attend, not just rostered leaders and congregational voting members. Child care will be offered.

Attendees will hear about churchwide ministries and plans from our ELCA representative, Molly Beck Dean, Program Director, National Youth Gathering.  The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Stewart Pero, director of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago's Multicultural Center will deliver our keynote address and be our guest Eucharist preacher.  Both of these guests will also be sharing a workshop.   
 
Encourage your congregation to elect youth and young adults as voting members to the June 5 - 7, 2016 Upstate New York Synod Assembly. Please mark the appropriate places on the registration forms so we can keep accurate records. Our synod constitution states that it is the goal of this synod that at least 10% of the voting members of the Synod Assembly, Synod Council, committees, and organizational units of this synod be youth and young adults.
 
Mark your calendars NOW to join us June 5 - 7, 2016 in Rochester. Be sure that your congregation's voting members are signed up for the synod's Upstate Update where beginning March 16 you will be able to find all the information about our 2016 Assembly.   Sign-up on the synod website, http://upstatenysynod.org/ bottom right corner.

 
Our ELCA Churchwide Representative

Molly Beck Dean serves as the Director for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Youth Gathering, a ministry that gathers 30,000 high school teens and their adult leaders every three years for a week of inspirational faith formation.  She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, two children, and the family's two dogs.  
TIE DYE and PEACE SYMBOLS are back! Your Upstate NY Synod World Hunger Team invites you to participate in the 17th annual appeal June 5-7, 2016, at the Synod Assembly in Rochester.  The theme of this year's campaign is GOD'S PEACE, YOUR PIECE.
 
We long for world peace, yet we are bombarded daily with news of escalating conflict and violence. What can we do? Some say a world without hunger would be a world at peace. True or not, a world without hunger is a goal worth pursuing. ELCA World Hunger provides help and hope for millions of people in the U.S. and worldwide. You are a vital part of that effort.
 
Still, many of our neighbors around the world and in our local communities lack the basic necessities of life - nutritious food, clean water, adequate shelter, access to health care, and opportunities for quality education and employment.
 
We hope you will participate in this special synod-wide appeal to raise $45,000 to address these needs.  In order to accomplish the goal, each congregation is challenged to bring at least $450. The instructions are simple - collect donations from members of your congregation and bring one check along with the attached tally sheet to the hunger table at the Synod Assembly. (Make checks payable to Upstate NY Synod.)

Materials to support your fundraising efforts are available -
Arriving Early on Sunday for Assembly??  Join us for one of two opportunities beginning at 4:00pm.
  • Global Mission Clean and Not-so-clean water:  interactive games and displays including things like carrying jugs of water from one place to another to earn raffle tickets to purchase snacks that are priced according to how much water they take to grow.  Free snacks such as gummy worms labeled with pictures of parasitic worms, entertainment and more.
  • The New Jim Crow book discussion:  Didn't have an opportunity to be a part of a book discussion or Bible study around racial justice.  Join Racial Justice Task Force facilitators for discussion around racial justice and the book.  
Don't Miss Mission Expo!!  Our vendors have been invited to especially share ways that their programs and resources link to justice and advocacy.  There are two dedicated opportunities this year to explore Mission Expo in the Galleria - Monday afternoon beginning at 2:30pm and Monday evening at 9:30 when our evening Fellowship, hosted by the Women of the ELCA will be held in the Galleria amidst the Mission Expo.
IN OUR PRAYERS 

For the members of the Synod Assembly Planning Team as they continue their work in planning and organizing our 2016 Assembly.


 

For justice in the world and God's guidance in helping us to be strong advocates for justice.
 
Tidbits

YES - we are again collecting
CAN TABS!!  Save your can tabs and bring them with you to assembly.  They can be dropped off in the Registration area.


CHILD CARE will again be offered at Synod Assembly.  Our licensed and very gifted child care providers will return again this year to care for your children.  Please let us know you will need child care during assembly in the "Special Requests" box on the synod assembly registration form including the ages of your children.

Early Morning Prayer - Begin your day with one of our chaplains on Monday and Tuesday morning at 7:15am in the Lilac Room at the Radisson (at the top of the escalators on the 2nd floor) for an early morning prayer time.  

Guidebook application - We will again post all synod assembly documents on the Guidebook application.  Watch future issues of the Synod Assembly Upstate Update for more information.  Documents for assembly will be posted the first week of May.


 
Don't miss out on any important 2016 Synod Assembly Information - sign up today for the Upstate Update.

Please visit our website upstatenysynod.org
 
Thank you for spending some time reading this edition of the Upstate Update. We hope, and pray, that you found it useful. If you know someone who could benefit from the Upstate Update, please forward it to them and ask them to sign up directly.
 
Kathy Neugent
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Upstate New York Synod of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 
kneugent@upstatenysynod.org
Phone: 315-299-4955 Fax: 315-299-4981 
 
 Resurrection people who pray first, walk together and change lives.   
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