The Synod Assembly Upstate Update 
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Synod Assembly Registration Closes May 15!!  The registration fee is $95.  Meal costs are in addition to the registration fee and are listed on the registration page.  Synod Assembly is open to all who want to attend, not just rostered leaders and congregational voting members.  Child care will be offered.  To get the latest information about this year's synod Assembly, we encourage attendees to sign up for the Upstate Update and visit www.upstatenysynod.org/ to get all the advance information. 
ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AT THE RADISSON RIVERSIDE
Assembly participants need to make their room reservations at the Radisson Rochester Riverside, 120 East Main Street, Rochester, NY14604. Remember the deadline to guarantee you receive the special $109 assembly rate is May 15.  
 
Here are some important things to know about reserving your room at the Radisson:
  • Check-In time is 3:00pm.  The Check-out time is 11:00pm.  
  • Guarantee Policy - the Radisson requires that all reservations be guaranteed either by a credit card or by a cash/check deposit for one night's room and tax.  Guarantee/Deposit will not be refunded unless the reservation is canceled more than 24 hours in advance.
  • Parking is at the Radisson Parking Garage and is free for hotel guests.
  • Reservation Information -Individuals are able to make reservations by calling (800) 333-3333 or (585) 546-6400 and referring to the Upstate New York Synod Assembly.  Reservations must be made no later than May 15 to guarantee the event rate of $109.
Taxes and Tax Exempt - to be tax exempt your organization must provide the Radisson with a valid New York State (ST-119) Sales Tax Exemption Certificate.  Organizations that are exempt from sales tax including occupancy and food and beverage taxes include:  certain religious, charitable or educational organizations which have received exempt organizations certificates from the New York Department of Taxation and Finance.  You will also need to pay with an organization check or credit card.  You cannot receive tax exempt status if paying with a personal credit card.  
Luther Memorial Holds Dessert Auction to support the Hunger Appeal
The Mission Team at Luther Memorial thought the idea of a Dessert Auction to support World Hunger was a fun one.  The date was set, 30+ bakers sent in goodies, colorful paddles were made and we were off.  Our own Jerome Sauta acted as Auctionneer and his wife, Laura played the part of Vanna and the auction was held between our two services.  The kids loved the idea of outbidding one another with the result of some very expensive cookies being bought.  Lemon Squares were the most sought after item. It was so much fun, we are already talking about next year's auction with its own Kids Time Auction.  The end result?  Adding in some generous donors, we totaled $1493.  
How is your congregation planning to support the 17th annual Hunger Appeal, God's Peace Your Piece to raise $45,000 for world hunger?  Each congregation is challenged to bring at least $450 to assembly.  Resource materials and ideas are available on the synod website.  Raise the dollars and bring them to Synod Assembly.  (Make checks payable to Upstate NY Synod.)


Materials to support your hunger fundraising efforts are available - 
Take the Bishop's Challenge and Knock the Socks off Hunger - Wear your CRAZIEST SOCKS to the Tuesday morning Plenary session.  For every pair of socks, Bishop Macholz and his wife, Lin will make a donation to World Hunger.  He has also secured matching dollars for our sock challenge.  Join the fun - start looking now for your crazy socks and help us surpass the $45,000 Hunger Appeal goal! 
Synod Assembly Welcomes The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Stewart Pero as our keynote speaker.  Dr. Pero is director of the Albert "Pete" Pero Jr. Multicultural Center at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. She is the first African American Lutheran woman to have earned a doctorate in biblical studies. After growing up in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, she became the second African American woman to be ordained in the Lutheran Church in America. She has served on the staff of the Lutheran Church in America, as pastor to parishes in the Chicago area, in campus ministry, as pastor to the community at LSTC, and has been a guest lecturer at several ELCA seminaries.    In addition to presenting our keynote address, Dr. Pero will offer a workshop Monday afternoon and preach at our Monday evening Eucharist worship. 
The 2016 Upstate New York Synod Assembly will once again be using the Guidebook App to publish and distribute material prior to and during the Assembly. The app is a free download available for android, apple and viewing via computer.  As part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's commitment to care for all creation, assembly materials will be available electronically to all people participating in the assembly, saving hundreds of pages of paper and much of the printing costs. While some materials will still need to be printed, the app will enable us to use less paper while increasing interactivity and accessibility. 
 
Devices will not be provided. However, all those attending are encouraged to download the app to your iPad/iPhone/iPod, Android phone/tablet, and Kindle Fire before the Assembly. You will also be able to access the app via the web on your computer, Windows tablet or Blackberry device.
 
The app features:
  • Registration Information
  • Hotel Information and Map
  • Pre-assembly News
  • Assembly Agenda
  • Mission Expo and Vendor Information
  • Convention Center information and Maps
  • Synod Position Descriptions (for use in elections)
As more information becomes available (such as workshop descriptions) it will be posted on our Synod Assembly Guidebook.  To get the guide, choose one of the methods below: 

  • From the Guidebook application, tap "Download Guides" then "Passphrase". Enter the code 2016assembly and the guide will download to your device!
Voting at Synod Assembly - Chapter 7 of the Synod constitution spells out the guidelines for voting members at the Synod Assembly.   It is available on the synod website.  Voting members shall have voice and vote at Assembly.
  • All ordained members, associates in ministry, deaconesses, and diaconal ministers, under call on the roster of this synod (S7.21 );
  • At least two voting members from each congregation in the synod (SC/R7.21.c);
  • Officers of the synod and Synod Council members who are not the voting member from their congregation
  • The membership of the Synod Assembly shall include in addition to those specified in S7.21 ordained pastors on the roster of this synod who are serving as interim pastors (vacancy pastors and intentional interim pastors) at the request of the Bishop, and all retired persons on the roster of this synod.  All such persons on the roster of this synod shall remain as members of the Synod Assembly so long as their names appear on the roster of this synod.  The synod may establish processes that permit its rostered leaders, including ordained ministers, associates in ministry, deaconesses, and diaconal ministers who are on leave from call, or those designated as disabled to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly, consistent with S7.21.c. above.  If the synod does not establish processes to permit rostered leaders specified above to serve as voting members, they shall have voice but not vote in the meetings of the Synod Assembly. (S7.22.)     
  • Rostered leaders who are on leave from call and serving in a congregation in  an interim capacity at the request of the bishop, may gain voice and vote privileges in the Synod Assembly by sending a letter to the bishop requesting such privileges.  (SB/L7.22.)
  • An ordained minister from a church body with which a relationship of full communion has been declared and established by the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America during the period of that ordained minister's service in a congregation of this church may gain voice and vote privileges in the Synod Assembly by sending a letter to the Bishop requesting such privileges. (SC/R7.27.)
 
Note that according to constitution provision S7.21.01. Voting members shall begin serving with the opening of a regular Synod Assembly and shall continue serving until voting members are seated at the next regular Synod Assembly.  
 
Tidbits
Save your can tabs! Bring your can tabs to Synod Assembly and add them to others at the table in the Registration area at the Convention Center. 

Calling All Musicians - Synod Assembly Music Director, Thatcher Lyman,
 invites vocalists and instrumentalists to be in touch with him to participate in music for this year's assembly.  In addition to Monday evening's Eucharist worship there will be opportunities throughout assembly for music to enrich our time together.  Please email Thatcher at incarnatewordmusic@gmail.com  with your interest, instrument of choice and/or your interest in joining the choir.  Assembly rehearsal times will Sunday, June 5, 6 - 6:45pm and Monday, June 6, 3 - 3:45pm. Worship is scheduled for 7:00pm.  

Volunteers Needed!
Are you attending Synod Assembly as a visitor?  If yes, consider helping out by serving as a Page during assembly or being a part of our communications team.  We are also looking for some strong volunteers who can help us with loading and unloading equipment from the synod both in Rochester and at the synod office.  Volunteers are needed at the Synod office, 5811 Heritage Landing Drive, E. Syracuse on Friday, June 3 for about an hour to load the truck and again on Tuesday, June 7 at 4:00pm to unload the truck.  At the Convention Center in Rochester volunteers are needed on Sunday, June 5 at 12:00 noon to help unload and on Tuesday at 1:00pm to load up the truck.  If you would like to help, please email Patsy Glista, pglista@upstatenysynod.org.

Child Care Available at Assembly - be sure to note on your Synod Assembly Registration form under the 'Special Requests' section if you will need child care at assembly.  Help us with planning by telling us the number of children and their ages in this box as well.  Child care will be provided on Sunday evening, June 5 from 6:30 - 9:30pm, Monday, June 6 from 8am - 9:30pm and on Tuesday, June 7 from 8am - 1pm.  Child care services will be closed during the meal hours to allow our child care providers to also enjoy their meal time.  Parents indicating a need for child care on their registration will receive a registration form to complete and bring to assembly. 

SERRV and Alpha & Omega Parable Christian Store Return in 2016.  We are excited to have both of these vendors join us again this year at Synod Assembly to meet your shopping needs.  Please be sure to stop by Highland A and B and see what Alpha and Omega and SERRV have to offer while you are at Synod Assembly.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES - Two Fellowship opportunities are available at Synod Assembly.  
  • Sunday evening, 6/5, we will gather in the Genesee Suite on the 2nd floor at the Radisson beginning at 9:15. 
  • Monday evening, 6/6 in the Galleria beginning at 9:30pm hosted by the Women of the ELCA.
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 morning prayer. 

Take note - you could be in pictures!  We will be web-casting Synod Assembly sessions this year.  It is possible that you could appear on camera.  
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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Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | 5811 Heritage Landing Drive | First Floor | E. Syracuse | NY | 13057