Out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of all involved, the Metro D.C. Synod will be hosting the 2021 Synod Assembly on Zoom from June 4 – 5, 2021. We will be hosting a Closing Worship Service on Sunday morning, June 6 at 10:00 AM that will be available to the entire synod. We are excited about the opportunities for increased engagement this new format will bring!
How to Register
A single congregation can choose to register multiple individuals at once, but each individual must have a unique name and email address for the form. Placeholder names may not be used for registration. Due to technical constraints, we cannot accept late registrations or registration transfers after registration is closed.
Cost to Register
$75 per Person before May 1, 2021
$100 per Person May 1 – 15, 2021
No registrations can be accepted, changed or transferred to another person after May 15.
Questions can be directed to our Synod Assembly Team at
synodassemblyteam@metrodcelca.org.
Election of Assembly Voting Members Required in 2019 Model Constitution
If your congregation has adopted the 2019 Church-wide Model Constitution, the below clause requires the election of Synod Assembly voting members. If you did not elect assembly delegates during your 2020 congregational meeting, you will need to do so before May 1, 2021 in order to register your delegates no later than May 15, 2021.
*C5.04. This congregation shall elect from among its voting members laypersons to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly as well as persons to represent it at meetings of any conference, cluster, coalition, or other area subdivision of which it is a member. The number of persons to be elected by this congregation and other qualifications shall be as prescribed in guidelines established by the (insert name of synod) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
This past year has presented many challenges but we are grateful for the use of technology that can keep us connected and the mission of God moving forward! Thankfully, the Metro D.C. Synod is not the first to host an online assembly and we have learned a lot of from neighboring synods that we plan to incorporate including:
- Scheduled Breaks – Zoom fatigue is a real thing and we will be sure to allow time so you can stretch, refill your glass and step away from your device.
- Interacting with Others – With the ability to offer video content, musical breaks, and breakout rooms for small groups, you will not miss out on the fellowship time.
- Practice Makes Almost Perfect – We know technology does not always cooperate, so we plan to offer some pre-assembly sessions where you can practice voting, using various Zoom features and logging in on your devices. We also plan to have a help desk of volunteers available throughout the assembly for anyone having technology issues.
- Business as Usual with Some Surprises – Our last in-person Synod assembly in 2019 included a Bishop’s election, but this year the agenda will be more typical including reports from our ministries and tables, approval of a Synod Mission Spending Plan, elections to Synod Council and various committees, and the presentation of any resolutions.
We plan to also include some fun, interactive opportunities as well as spirit-filled worship opportunities and speakers throughout the agenda!
A complete draft agenda will be available in the coming months. In the mean, please review the outline for our time together.
The synod assembly provides an opportunity for voting members and various units of the synod to present Resolutions or Memorials for consideration.
Resolutions adopted by the synod assembly will be acted upon locally or passed to the appropriate units of the ELCA for action.
Memorials adopted for consideration by the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly will be forwarded to the Churchwide Assembly Memorials Committee for consideration and inclusion in the advance materials along with memorials from other synods of the ELCA.
During the Synod Assembly, we vote to elect rostered and lay leaders to Synod Council, Synod Committees and as Church-Wide Assembly voting members.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Synod Assembly, most Synod Council positions are open for election in 2021. We have staggered elections for 1 year and 2 year terms to be back on schedule for 2022.
Please pay close attention to the number of positions and number of years for each role.
If you (or someone you know) are interested in serving in any of these roles, please complete the candidate information form below no later than May 1, 2021.
Please pay close attention to the number of positions and number of years for each role.
Positions For Election and Terms
Synod Council Officers*:
Vice President (4 years)
Treasurer (4 years)
*must also complete a background check form available here.
Synod Council:
DC Conference Clergy Member (1 Year)
DC Conference Lay Member (2 Years)
Fairfax Conference Clergy Member (2 Years)
Fairfax Conference Lay Member (1 Year)
Maryland Conference Clergy Member (2 years)
Maryland Conference Lay Member (1 Year)
Montgomery Conference Clergy Member (2 years)
Montgomery Conference Lay Member (1 Year)
Potomac Conference Clergy Member (2 Years)
Potomac Conference Lay Member (1 year)
Virginia Conference Clergy Member (1 Year)
Virginia Conference Lay Member (2 Years)
At-Large Member – Minister of Word and Service (1 Year)
At-Large Member (1 Year)
Two At-Large Members (2 years)
Synod Women’s Organization (1 Year)
Youth Representative (1 Year)
Committee on Discipline:
Two Clergy Members (6 years)
Two Lay Members (6 years)
Consultation Committee:
Two Clergy Members (5 years)
Two Lay Members (5 years)
2022 Churchwide Assembly Voting Members (5 positions open)
ELCA Church Council:
Two Lay Woman (6 years)