Synod
Council
of the
West Virginia-Western
Maryland Synod
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Synod Council meets regularly three to four times during
the year with special meetings held, often by
teleconference, as need. The Synod Council is chaired by
the vice president. The membership of the Synod Council
includes the four officers of the synod and twelve voting
members from around the synod, representing a balance of
clergy and laity, geographical distribution, and age. Click here for the roster of
the Synod Council and its committees.
Consultation of 16 March 2024
The Synod Council, convened Saturday morning, 16 March
2024, in Morgantown, twelve representatives (pastors and
[vice] presidents) of congregations of the Mon
Valley-Mountain Conference being in attendance for a
consultation. An invitation was issued to all the pastors
of the conference and the congregational [vice]
presidents. Five guiding questions were included as part
of the consultation:
- What is happening in your congregation that makes you
happy, excited, proud, hopeful, etc.?
- What challenges, anxieties, fears, etc. are your
congregation facing?
- How are things going with the Mon Valley-Mountain
Conference and in intercongregational relationships and
work?
- What do you think our disposition toward Caroline
Furnace be? What do you need to know to address this
question?
- Where do you see synodical and Churchwide expressions
fitting into all this?
Summary of Actions, 16 March 2024
Synod Council, meeting on 16 March 2024, took the
following actions.
Appointments
- To reappoint The Revs. Nancy Knol and Timothy Spence
to the Board of Directors of the Tri-Synod Archives.
- To establish a select committee to investigate
possible legacy and planned giving with the ELCA
Foundation for the synod.
Fiscal & Property Actions
- To grant authorization for a fund-raising appeal to
the congregations of the synod by Camp Luther, the
appeal window closing 31 July 2014.
- To accept the revised agreement with Thiel College for
the housing of the Tri-Synod Archives.
Polity Actions
- To have the bishop contact Caroline Furnace
leadership, inviting them to come to a Synod Council
meeting as soon as possible for the purpose of
discussing possible disaffiliation.
- To request that Camp Luther, by 31 July 2024,
designate a team to review the financial prospectus and
long-range stability of Camp Luther, including a)
location, b) number of staff, and c) cost for families,
with the director of Camp Luther to report responses to
these questions to the Synod Council.
Roster Management Actions
- To renew authorizations for extended ecumenical
service by The Rev. Susan Claytor to St. Luke's,
Beckley, and The Rev. Darick Biondi to Cross of Grace,
Hurricane, WV.
- To renew authorization for local altar & pulpit
fellowship by The Rev. John "Jack" Jackson to St.
Peter's Lutheran Church, Pt. Pleasant, WV.
Program
In addition to the consultation, Ryan Ebner, Tri-Synod
Planned Giving Officer, ELCA Foundation, gave a
presentation on legacy and planned giving and the services
provided by the ELCA Foundation.
Next Meeting
The Synod Council adjourned to Friday, 26 April 2025,
5:00 p.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Morgantown.
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