Synod Assembly 2024

Jesus names us “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” and compares the kingdom of heaven or reign of God to “leaven” (Matthew 5:13–16; 13:33).

At the 2024 Synod Assembly, the North/West Lower Michigan Synod will celebrate ways our congregations are ”salt of the earth,” “light of the world,” and “leaven” of the kingdom in ways large and small as we prayerfully participate in Jesus’s own work of reconciling the world to God’s very self. 

The 2024 Synod Assembly will be held virtually via Zoom on May 11, 2024. Due to its virtual nature, this year’s Synod Assembly will be primarily business focused. Therefore, only voting members will be able to register for and participate in the Zoom meeting. All non-voting members and visitors are invited to watch the Synod Assembly via livestream on YouTube.

In the coming months, updates and resources will continue to be posted on this page. If you have additional questions, please email assembly@mittensynod.org.

Robert’s Rules of Order

ELCA Synod Assemblies and Churchwide Assemblies use parliamentary procedure to conduct business. A synopsis of Robert’s Rules of Order is provided for reference. Learn More.

Registration 

Registration for the 2024 Synod Assembly closed on April 8, 2024. There is no late registration and we are not able to process replacement voting members.

Those who did not register are invited to watch the Synod Assembly via livestream on YouTube. 

Check-in for the 2024 Synod Assembly will be from 8:00-9:00am ET on May 11. Synod Assembly will begin at 9:00am ET and is planned to conclude no later than 4:00pm ET. A full agenda will be available in the Assembly Book.

Pre-Assembly Sessions

We will be offering Pre-Assembly Discussion Sessions and Technology Orientations via Zoom in advance of Synod Assembly. Registration for these sessions is included in the Synod Assembly Registration Form. When registering, voting members should select the sessions they are interested in attending. 

The optional Pre-Assembly Discussion Sessions will be focused on Resolutions and Memorials and the Budget and Compensation Guidelines. We strongly encourage voting members to attend!

  • CANCELLED: Pre-Assembly Discussion on Resolutions and Memorials: April 30, 6:00-8:00pm ET.
  • Pre-Assembly Discussion on Budget and Compensation Guidelines: May 2, 6:00-8:00pm ET.

Zoom links for Pre-Assembly Discussion Sessions will be emailed to those registered on Friday, April 26, 2024. If you do not receive the email, please contact assembly@mittensynod.org.

All voting members are required to attend a one-hour Technology Orientation. These sessions will provide an overview of Zoom basics along with training on the voting process in advance of Synod Assembly. Voting members must attend an orientation in order to receive their voting credentials.

  • Technology Orientations – May 7, 8, 9: 6:00-7:00pm ET.

Zoom links for Technology Orientations will be emailed to those registered on Friday, May 3, 2024. If you do not receive the email, miss your session, or need to change your session date, please contact assembly@mittensynod.org.

Nominations

The Nominating committee is seeking nominations for six Synod Council Positions and seven Churchwide Assembly Voting Members.

Position Information and Bio Form:

All completed bio forms must have been submitted by March 22, 2024.

Resolutions and Memorials

To be considered for the 2024 Synod Assembly, all proposed resolutions and memorials must have been submitted by March 22, 2024.

Assembly Book

The “Assembly Book” will again be a series of pdf documents published on the Synod website. All materials for the Assembly Book must have been submitted by March 22, 2024. 

The Assembly Book will be available here on April 21, 2024.

Synod Ministries and Ministry Partners Video Submissions

To be considered, all videos must have been submitted by April 3, 2024.

Salt, Light, and Leaven Video Submissions

To be considered, all videos must have been submitted by April 3, 2024.

Offering for Synod Assembly 

As the 2024 Synod Assembly is a one-day, business-only, virtual event with no worship service, and therefore no designated offering. At congregations’s request, we offer a few giving suggestions for those who desire to make a contribution in lieu of the traditional Synod Assembly offering:

  • Living Stones Initiative – The recently renewed Living Stone initiatives for the period of 2023-2025continues to provide a way for those committed to, and appreciative of, synodical ministry to give directly to the synod. Learn more.
  • Synod Disaster Relief Fund – This fund is instrumental in providing assistance to those affected by natural disasters both in our synod and across the country.

Ways to Give

  • Make checks payable to North/West Lower Michigan Synod and indicate your designation/s on the memo line and/or on an enclosure. Mail checks to P.O. Box 517 Dewitt, MI 48820
  • Make a contribution online. Select the desired fund from the dropdown menu.

We extend heartfelt thanks to congregations and individuals who have already contributed to these ministries, many of whom continue to do so on a monthly basis. Your faithful generosity is crucial to the ministry we do together to make a difference in the lives of others for the sake of Christ.

Voting

We will again be using Vevox to vote during Synod Assembly. Written and video Vevox guides are provided below. Each voting member will need their own voting device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop).

Registered voting members who attend a Technology Orientation will receive an email with their voting credentials during the week of May 6. If you do not receive an email by 12pm on Friday, May 10, please email assembly@mittensynod.org. 

Voting Member and Technology Guides

Technology Help Desk

If you are having technical issues or have technical questions about Zoom or the Vevox Voting Software, please contact the Tech Help Desk at techhelp@mittensynod.org or by calling or texting 1-855-33-SYNOD (1-855-337-9663).

We will only use this phone number to provide technology assistance. We will never send unsolicited texts to you and will only use texting to reply when specifically requested.

Gathering Sites

Grace Lutheran Church in Lansing invites voting members participating in the 2024 Synod Assembly to join them at their church on May 11. They will provide coffee and sweets in the morning, lunch, and snacks and beverages in the afternoon. 

Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids invites voting members participating in the 2024 Synod Assembly to join them at their church on May 11. They will provide refreshments. 

Please contact these congregations directly if you have any questions about attending.