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, 4 August 2025

A special session of the Synod Council convened 4 August 2025 by Zoom, the following actions taken.

Roster Matters

• To set the guidelines for clergy compensation as follows and adopt the Clergy Compensation Package for CY2026 as presented in writing:
• Pastors (minister of Word & Sacrament) starting in 2025 in a first-call, congregation at $44,101.17. This is the minimum recommendation. Congregations wanting to keep pace with COLA should set the base salary at $44,552.25;
• Continuing education allowance at $2000 and 14 days for continuing education purpose annually for routine continuing education;
• Clergy, in their first three years of ordained ministry, at $300 for First Call Theological Education (to be included as part of the $2000 annual support for continuing education).
• To direct Synod Mutual Ministry Committee to review the financial counseling services and resources provided by Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota with special attention to Portico Health Plan level recommendations and to report back to Synod Council with any recommendations for the amendment of the Clergy Compensation Package for FY2026.
  

Financial Matters

• To set the Mission Support Formula for CY2026 at 12.89% of total unrestricted congregational giving (offering), asking that congregations not yet remitting mission support at 12.89% be asked to increase their mission support to 12.89%, while asking congregations at or exceeding 12.89% to not decrease the greater of either their proportional share or nominal contribution.
• To authorize the treasurer to purchase, within the month, a short-term certificate of deposit in an amount not to exceed $50,000.