Ilona (our council president) and Pastor Brenda attending this year’s synod assembly, held in Kissimmee. At the assembly we heard about various ministries and programs that are happening across our synod, as well as new and those in some stage of imaging! We attended two workshops on how we can only tell our story but here the stories of others and what resources are available as we think about the church, both First Lutheran and the larger, being reimagined and re-visioned. The keynote speaker, Pr. Emily Harkins, Mission Developer and Pastor of the The Dwelling in North Carolina, spoke on the assembly’s theme of “There is a Time For Everything.” Pr. Emily Harkins told stories of her congregation and how the Holy Spirit is always moving, challenging, and transforming ministries and the life of her and our congregations. We learned that things don’t always happen in our time, but in God’s time and that through this transformation God is always being made known. That God works in those times of wondering, transition, transformation and that sometimes things have to die to be made new; that resurrection isn’t resuscitation but rather a transformation. We are excited to share all that we learned and experienced. You can learn more about Pr. Emily Harkins faith community, The Dwelling, here: thedwellingws.org
At the synod assembly, Pastor Brenda was recognized as being one of the newest clergy (pastors) in the synod and the congregation was recognized as celebrating our 60th Anniversary!
Now to break down some of that “church language.” A synod is like a geographic region of churches. In the ELCA, there are 9 regions across the United States in which 65 synods are located. Our synod, the Florida-Bahamas Synod, encompasses all the churches within the state of Florida as well as throughout the Bahamas. The synod is the governing body of the collection of churches, but focuses more on the administration of the collective of churches, helping to support churches throughout the synod. The assembly is a time that these churches gather representatives in order to conduct the business of the church, in addition to the learning opportunities previously discussed. Each worshipping community can send two voting members and their pastor(s) to conduct this business, which includes electing members to serve on the synod council (which is like a board of directors), other positions that help in conducting the duties of the synod, and the synod budget.
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