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Dear Brother and Sister in Christ - 

 

The Northwestern Ohio Synod is not only on a Lenten forty day journey (where many of us are intentionally focusing on our relationship with God and shedding away the excess of our daily lives), but also on a journey to tune in more closely to the mission of God as we prepare for the election of a new Synod Bishop at the synod assembly in May of 2016. 


 

Since November 2014, the Synod Profile Taskforce has been prayerfully working on creating the profile of the Northwestern Ohio Synod as we begin discerning our future together.  Our research will help provide the framework as we collectively discern the vision and mission of where the Holy Spirit is leading our synod.  Members of the taskforce have been:

  • Creating a Synod Snapshot
  • Creating a Bishop Profile
  • Reviewing the Demographic information related to all 164 congregations
  • Interviewing Staff members

While the Taskforce is representative of the synod, the taskforce members are inviting everyone in the synod to spend approximately 20 minutes completing a survey.  (https://surveys.elca.org/scripts/rws5.pl?FORM=NWOHSB)  Please share this survey link as many times to as many people as you can!  The results of this survey are critical in creating the "snapshot" of our synod and serve as the foundation from which the newly elected Bishop can begin their leadership in 2016. 


 

The Synod Profile Taskforce members are thankful for the opportunity to lead the initial stages of the discernment process for our synod.  At this year's Synod Assembly the Taskforce will present to the entire assembly preliminary findings of the survey.   There will also be an opportunity to attend a workshop where detailed information will be shared related to the process the Taskforce has followed and an introduction of the Election Taskforce who will shepherd the synod through the next stages. 


 

As the Taskforce continues their work, we invite individuals and congregations to join us in the following prayer taken from the ELW:

Direct us, Lord God, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and extend to us your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name; and finally, by your mercy, bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

 

On behalf of the Synod Profile Taskforce,  

Pam Kensler

Synod Council Secretary


 

"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God." ~Philippians 1:9-11