News and Events: Synod Assembly Re-cap

News and Events

Saint Paul Area Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Synod Assembly Edition

May 22, 2013

From Beth Helgen: A bouquet of thanks to all!

Heaps of thanks to all of you who attended the Saint Paul Area Synod assembly May 17-18, at Prince of Peace, Burnsville, and to the volunteers who stepped into service in a variety of ways--especially to the Bishop Election Committee for leading us in discussion; to the Rev. Hans Jorgensen and John Helgen who planned and led worship services; and to the Rev. Brent Erler, who designed the banners, and with members of his congregation, Lakeview, Maplewood, created the Blessing Jars! In addition, we give thanks for the leadership of Gail Olson who completed two terms as synod vice president, and look forward to continued leadership from Carol Hood, who was elected to succeed her.

We are grateful for your participation in the life of the church. The evaluations revealed that a majority of you appreciated the ease and speed of the voting keypads; the keynote by John Nunes; the presentation by the Bishop Election Committee; the range of response voting; and the worship on Friday and Saturday morning. We appreciate that some of you provided additional thoughts about how to use the keypads more effectively and other comments that will help us as we plan next year's assembly.

A glitch and an apology

In spite of the careful planning and hard work, every synod assembly experiences bumps and flubs and glitches. This year, however, many of you were on the receiving end of a glitch when we ran out of sandwiches on Saturday. We had ordered a sufficient number--in fact, we ordered more than we thought we would need--but the caterer did not deliver the quantity we ordered, shorting us by approximately 100 sandwiches. The caterer has since provided us with a financial adjustment and an apology.

Challenges abound in serving so many in a short time, and the three-person team that coordinates the meals and breaks handles a mammoth task with efficiency and grace. We were grateful for the patience and understanding of so many of you as you waited to be served, and we regret the inconvenience it may have caused.

2014 Budget

After participation in a committee of the whole and debate, the assembly adopted a $2 million budget, recommended after extensive synod council discussion and consultation in the months leading up to the synod assembly.

More information about the budget in included on pages 28-30 in the Pre-Assembly Report. Bishop Rogness' explanation of the budget re-positioning is included on pages 18-22 and in Appendix 1 of the same report.

Download the Pre-Assembly Report (PDF)

Worship offering to support malaria relief

This year's synod assembly offering was directed to ELCA Malaria Campaign, an initiative in which our church joins with African companion churches in eleven countries to end malaria. The offering received to date is $7,130.00.

Watch the video "We Can't Do it On Our Own" to learn more about the ELCA's malaria relief effort.

There's still time! Please send checks made out to the Saint Paul Area Synod, noted for assembly offering, to Greg Triplett in the synod office.

Resolutions
Seven resolutions were brought before the assembly for consideration. To read the resolutions, see the resolutions page on the synod website.

Resolution 2013-1 Resolutions and Conscience Bound Belief

Adopted 171/115

Following the adoption of 1-2013, the assembly considered resolutions first through a quasi committee of the whole and then through range of response, described more fully on pages 38-39 of the Pre-Assembly Report. Members of the assembly used their voting keypads to register their view on the proposed resolution as follows: strongly agree; lean toward agree; in the middle of the issue; lean toward disagree; strongly disagree. When a resolution calls upon the synod to memorialize the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the memorial will be deemed to have passed and will be forwarded to the churchwide assembly if the responses strongly agree and lean toward agree outnumber those who strongly disagree and lean toward disagree.

Resolution 2-2013 Extending the Protections and Dignity of Marriage to All Persons

Withdrawn from consideration because of the action by the Minnesota State Legislature and the bill signed into law on May 14, 2013

Resolution 3-2013 Ministering to Same-Gender Couples and Families

Memorialized to the 2013 Churchwide Assembly

Range of Response: 139 strongly agree; 87 lean toward agree; 21 in the middle of this issue; 25 lean toward disagree; 26 strongly disagree; 1 abstain or have insufficient knowledge to have an opinion

Resolution 4-2013 Prohibiting Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity

Memorialized to the 2013 Churchwide Assembly

Range of Response: 155 strongly agree; 63 lean toward agree; 9 in the middle of this issue; 24 lean toward disagree; 14 strongly disagree; 3 abstain or have insufficient knowledge to have an opinion

Resolution 5-2013 Reducing Gun Violence

Range of Response: 158 strongly agree; 60 lean toward agree; 6 in the middle of this issue; 20 lean toward disagree; 21 strongly disagree; 5 abstain or have insufficient knowledge to have an opinion

Resolution 6-2013 Immigration Reform-Support of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA)

Memorialized to the 2013 Churchwide Assembly

Range of Response: 138 strongly agree; 59 lean toward agree; 14 in the middle of this issue; 27 lean toward disagree; 20 strongly disagree; 3 abstain or have insufficient knowledge to have an opinion

Resolution 7a-2013 Accompaniment, Awareness-Raising, and Advocacy for the People of the Holy Land

Memorialized to the 2013 Churchwide Assembly

Range of Response: 106 strongly agree; 66 lean toward agree; 21 in the middle of this issue; 25 lean toward disagree; 31 strongly disagree; 11 abstain or have insufficient knowledge to have an opinion

Elections

The individuals listed below were elected to synodical leadership:

Synod Council Vice President

Carol Hood, Mount Calvary, Eagan

Synod Council Youth Representative
Leif Olson, Shepherd of the Valley, Apple Valley

Synod Council At-Large Representative

Joy Tkachuck, Arlington Hills, St. Paul

Synod Council At-Large Representative

Ron Maye, Grace, Apple Valley

Committee for Consultation

Lisa Sauer, Hosanna, Forest Lake

The Rev. John Keller, Resurrection, Woodbury

Committee on Discipline

Shirley Zierke, St. Paul, Wyoming
Andrew Lowther, Gustavus Adolphus, St. Paul
The Rev. Roland Hayes, St. Michael's, Roseville

See the Elections page

"Oh, the Places We've Been:" The poetry malfunctioned, but through you the song and the rhyme goes on!
Our 2013 synod assembly went out with a bang this year! The concluding assembly poem was interrupted by a tuba...then an accordion. Soon a whole array of instrumentalists and vocalists surrounded the hall, leading the assembly into its theme hymn, "O Christ Your Heart Compassionate." Watch how it unfolded below:

2013 Assembly Flash Mob

Blessing Jars

At this year's assembly, participants were invited to respond to two questions on cards placed on their tables.

What can you do to become a servant of Christ in the world?
How has God Blessed you and/or the Church?

These responses were then placed in blessing jars, gathered by our assembly pages, and placed on a wall for people to read. Read some of these blessings on the Saint Paul Area Synod Facebook page.

We have about 60 blessing jars left over from the synod assembly which you are welcome to take for summer programs or other events at your congregation. If you would like any or all of the remaining blessing jars, please call the synod office.

Continue the conversation

Add your reflections about the assembly and what it means to write God's love in human deeds on the synod's Facebook page and on Twitter using the hashtag #SPAS13.