Synod Council is required to meet at least twice a year, but ours typically meets three to four times during the year with special meetings held, often by teleconference, as needed. 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.

Summary of Actions, 25-26 April 2025

A regular session of the Synod Council convened over two days (25-26 April 2025) at Grace Lutheran Church, Petersburg, WV. In addition to regular business, two consultations were held:

• a consultation with representatices of Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp and Retreat Center; and
• a consultation with the lay leaders of the congregations and parishes of the Potomac Highlands Cluster of the Potomac Conference and the pastors of the Cluster.

Roster Matters

• To issue a call to non-congregational service (specialized ministry) to The Rev. Wm. Curtis Black to serve Valley Hospice contingent upon continued employment.

Polity Matters

• To nominate Abigail Spray Hull for secretary of the Synod.
• To reappoint The Rev. Tim Spence and The Rev. Nancy Knoll to the Tri-Synod Archives Board.
• To direct the Mutual Ministry Committee to review the compensation schedule and guidelines for supply preaching, reporting back to the Synod Council with findings and recommendations.
• To refer the Draft Bylaws Amendments for Synod Assembly 2025 to the Bylaws Committee, authorizing the Bylaws Committee to report directly to Synod Assembly 2025.
• To adopt the Executive Committee recommendations concerning committee appointments as amended as follows:
  
  • Paul Wangerin be officially removed from the Synod Mutual Ministry Committee and that the seat he occupied be designated for the Synod Vice President ex officio;
  • Paul Wangerin be removed from the Synod Audit Committee and replaced with The Rev. Tom Darr;
  • Laurel Muhly-Alexander and Brian Crawford be removed from the Synod Bylaws Committee and replaced with The Rev. Daniel Collins, Michelle Erfurt, and David Finney; and
    
  • The Rev. Sean Smith be removed from the Commission for Synodical Lay Worship with the Ex. Comm being authorized to add no more than two members.
• To direct the bishop, in consultation with the members of the Select Committee on the Synod Assembly duration, to include time in the Synod Assembly 2025 agenda for small group plenary discussion concerning the format, duration, and bishop election processes.
• To oder the bishop to publish on the Synod website the guidelines for a bishop election.

Staffing Matters

• To provide clerical assistance as an independent contractor (Tamara Riegel) for the bishop for the preparation of Synod Assembly 2025 at the same rate as Larisa Mount.  The bishop abstained from the vote due to the conflict of interest.
• To direct the Mutual Ministry Committee to address the bishop’s need for administrative assistance in addition to the Synod Assembly preparation.

Property Matters

• To authorize the reopening of negotiations with Antero to lease the mineral rights on the parcels named in the 1926 will of Mary Caroline Spray of Doddridge County, seeking at minimum the offer made by Antero 23 March 2025 and more if possible and executing the lease if such terms be secured.  The vote was ten for and two against the authorization.

Financial Matters

• To advance to Synod Assembly 2025 the proposed budget (see Proposed Budget FY2026-2027) as prepared by the Select Committee on Finance and amended by the Executive Committee.
• To accept the recommendation of the Executive Committee concerning the Synod finances:
  
  • Checking Account -- $50,000 (about a 60 day cash requirement)
  • Savings Account -- $50,000 (about a 60 day cash requirement)
  • The balance of the checking account will be invested in short-term, high-yield CDs with purchases being staggered so as to create an investment ladder over time, and purchases at alternate financial institutions to keep the total under the FDIC limits.
• To refer the report of the treasurer to the Audit Committee.
• Nancy Weeks, reporting for the Select Committee on Planned Giving, indicated that the select committee does not at this time recommend that the synod pursue the development of a program or campaign to solicit planned gifts for the synod.

Educational Matters

• To cover the tuition for AJ Beckett’s participation in the LWF's Internation Seminary for Lay Leaders to be held in Germany in May.
• To cover AJ Beckett’s travel expenses to Germany for the LWF's Internation Seminary for Lay Leaders in May.

Other Matters

• To send condolences to The Rev. Kevin Mackey on the death of his father.