Synod Council Synopsis - February 2025
The Synod Council gathered on Zoom on Saturday, February 22, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Bishop Current had an opportunity to share updates in the Office of the Bishop with the council. This included Samantha Fash, Associate to the Bishop for Administration, to introduce herself, an introduction to Evoke, the contracted communications firm, replacing Val Harlynn, and the ongoing recovery of Pastor LeAnn Stubbs, Director for Evangelical Mission, following her car accident in November.
Treasurer Jana Grimm and Amy Van Dyke, Associate to the Bishop for Finance, led the education session on the process of building the 2026 Synod Budget. The work begins in the fall with input from the office of the bishop staff and analysis of income and expense trends. The Synod Finance Committee receives this information and a draft budget to work through and approve. This draft budget is brought to the Synod Council for approval to transmit to the Synod Assembly. The Synod Council voted to approve the draft budget, as presented by the Finance Committee, for transmittal to the 2025 Synod Assembly.
In other business the council approved the Consent Agenda, appointments to the Candidacy Committee, and roster changes which included granting retired status and renewal and re-classification of on leave status for rostered ministers. An important portion of the meeting was spent on the approval of a Synod Infants, Children, and Youth Safety Policy. It was recommended by the new insurance carrier to have a policy in place. The draft policy was reviewed by the synod attorney and the synod Human Resources Committee. The Synod Council encourages congregations to have a similar policy and offers this policy as a model.
Vice President Keith Jones reported to the council on the monthly ELCA Synod Vice Presidents meetings that he attends. At the most recent meeting, a topic of discussion was the plans for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix this summer. He will also be sending a survey by email. This survey will help the council get to know one another better, build the council as a team, and learn of hopes for the council.
The bishop’s report began with a sabbatical report from Deacon Jodi Schuman, approving a sabbatical plan for Pastor Dan Kuckuck. Bishop Current then shared a number of items with the council. She updated the council on upcoming synod events including the Lenten Renewal Gatherings for active rostered ministers, SAMs, interns and ministry professionals and the Retired Servants Gatherings for retired rostered ministers, spouses, and widows and widowers of retired rostered ministers.
Bishop Current wanted to update the council on the status of our partner agencies and institutions. She began with Lutheran Services in Iowa after it came under scrutiny along with Lutheran Services in America and Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Bishop Current assured the council that these agencies are of good repute. They complete all the necessary steps to show that they act with integrity and honesty. The recent stop-work order delays the funding that helps refugees already in this country. This will be a topic covered at Lutheran Day on the Hill on March 11 in Des Moines. She went on to provide updates on the two seminaries in our region, outdoor ministries, and campus ministries at the three public universities.
The meeting concluded with a reminder of the next meeting and the 2025 Synod Assembly on May 17 at Grand View University.