Synod Assembly | Southwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA

The Synod's Highest Legislative Authority

Voting members from each congregation and all rostered minsters in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod gather annually to worship, learn, conduct business, and prayerfully deliberate about what God is calling us to do in the synod. The Synod Assembly is the synod’s highest legislative authority within the SW MN Synod.

2023 Synod Assembly

Building on the theme, “Embody the Word,” from the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, members in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod will gather at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN.

The Assembly will begin on Friday, June 9th at 11 am. and recess on Saturday, June 10th early afternoon.

Nominations/Elections

Important Announcements:

Lastest News

Posted 6/1/2023

On-Site Registration
Registration opens at 8 am on Friday in Lund Center. Please register on-site prior to attending the workshop sessions. We cannot guarantee you will have voting privileges if you do not register prior to worship.

Thursday Evening Campus Housing
If you registered for campus housing on Thursday, you must check in at Jackson Campus Center (GAC staff) for your room key no later than 8 pm. Dinner is on your own Thursday evening. Friday morning breakfast is available on-site for those staying on campus only. Your nametag is your meal ticket. Please wear it at all times. Email Tammy Schacher at [email protected] if you have any questions about arriving Thursday evening.

Friday’s Box Lunch
Friday’s box lunch/beverage is provided on-site from 11:45 – 12:15 for those who registered and paid in advance. Recognizing that not all voting members will be available to attend the learning opportunities, this charge was intentionally priced separately. If you are attending the workshops and missed paying for the lunch please contact us immediately. There are no other lunch opportunities on-site.

Recorded Zoom Hearings

Click the following links to view the Zoom recordings from the Assembly Hearings. All voting members are encouraged to view all three hearings. These hearings gave the opportunity to learn and ask questions regarding the 2025 Proposed Budget and 2024 Proposed Compensation Guidelines. The Assembly Orientation provided directions to download and find materials in Guidebook; learn how on site registration will work; and more valuable information.

Proposed Budget Hearing Zoom Recording from Monday, May 22.
Assembly/Guidebook Orientation Zoom Recording from Tuesday, May 23
Proposed Compensation Guidelines Zoom Recording from Thursday, May 25

Ritual Wellbeing Guide Online Questionnaire
Would you like to get a snapshot of your wellbeing today?
Our Assembly keynote speaker, Matt Bloom, is asking assembly members to answer 9 questions about your daily wellbeing. Click here to start.

After answering all 9 questions you will get a score. Please write it down and bring it with you to the Assembly.

PreAssembly Book

More information coming. All assembly materials will be post on this webpage and in the Guidebook app.

DOWNLOAD PREASSEMBLY BOOK

There will be no printed copies of materials at the synod assembly. Please download the Guidebook app or print and bring your own paper copies.

Assembly Workshops
Assembly members will have the opportunity to attend two workshops. Click here to view, download, and print workshops descriptions.

Which workshop do you think you will attend?

Click here to let us know.

Having trouble committing? No problem! Choose the workshops that jump out at you today. This will help the organizers with their planning.

Guidebook

Important! We're going paperless! Assembly materials (ballots, reports, schedules, workshop descriptions, etc.) will be posted to the Guidebook app and the synod webpage. Voting will take place using the Assembly Guidebook app. Anyone can download and view the app. However, all voting members must download the app on their own mobile devices and create an account to be able to vote.

How to download the Guidebook app:
Get started by clicking here: https://guidebook.com/g/swmnassembly/

Tap “Download the App” to access the guide on your iOS and Android device. Once the Guidebook app is downloaded on your device open the SW MN Synod Assembly 2023 guide.

You may have to click “Find Guide” if the assembly guide does not automatically open.

The synod has used Guidebook in the past so if you are a returning Voting Member your email might be linked to an old account. That’s okay! Enter your email address and click “forgot password” to reset your account.

Voting Members: There are two important reasons you need your own Guidebook account.

Guidebook will ask you to allow sharing of your information with the synod for administrative purposes. Please click “Yes, allow” on the Privacy check-up message. This will allow the credentials team access to app attendance for voting.
Guidebook will create your own QR code for on-site registration at the synod assembly. You will be marked in attendance by scanning this code.

Download GUIDEBOOK instructions

Synod Assembly Coordinator

Tamara Schacher
Admin. Assistant to Bishop Dee Pederson
[email protected]
507.627.9041 (Direct Line) 507.430.2367 (Cell)

The Synod Assembly Planning Team and the Synod Staff are here to help!

Don’t have an email address or a smart device to vote? That’s okay!
Using a laptop for Guidebook? Great! That works too!

We need to know prior to the assembly that you would like to be a voting member participating with a low-tech option.

Please contact Kristin Bakeberg at [email protected] or 507-637-3904 to get connected with the team.

Registration

Online registration is closed. If you need to register or make any registration changes, please call the synod office at 507-637-3904.

Voting Member Registration Information

The following persons are eligible to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly:

Rostered Ministers who are under call in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod.
Lay members elected by congregations of the synod.
Lay members of the Synod Council who are not congregation voting members.
Lay conference chairpersons who are not congregation voting members.
Retired pastors on the synod roster serving as an interim in congregations of the Synod during the Synod Assembly.
Persons serving in a Synod Authorized Ministry Site (more than half time) of the Synod during the Synod Assembly.

Congregation Size*	Voting Member #	Gender (as near as possible)
0 – 174	1 or 2	If only one registers, either male or female.
175 – 500	2	1 male, 1 female
501 – 1,000	3	1 male, 1 female + 1 either male or female
1,001 – 1,500	4	2 male, 2 female
1,501 – 2,000	5	2 male, 2 female + 1 either male or female
2,001 – 2,500	6	3 male, 3 female
2,501 – 3,000	7	3 male, 3 female + 1 either male or female
3,001 – 3,500	8	4 male, 4 female

*Numbers represent BAPTIZED membership.
More than 3,500 baptized members, add one voting member for every additional 500 baptized members.

Advisory/Visitor Registration Information

Advisory Members

Advisory members of the assembly have voice but not vote during business sessions. Such persons must register and pay the appropriate fee, which entitles them to all activities and meals. Persons who register as advisory members include: ELCA churchwide staff, representatives of synod shared ministries, retired rostered persons not serving as voting members of the Assembly.

Visitors

Visitors for the assembly have neither voice nor vote during business sessions. Any interested members of congregations of the Synod may register as visitors and pay the appropriate fee, which entitles them to all the activities and meals. Visitors must sit in a separate designated area during the business session.

Registration Procedures and Costs

IMPORTANT: All Synod Assembly voting members will need to bring a smart device with internet access to participate in the voting portion of the Assembly.

Assembly registration fees are processed by Vanco (a certified level 1 OCI 3.2 service provider) at the time of registering online using credit/debit card or electronic check.

Early Rate (4/28/2023)

Voting Member: $200 (fee/facilities/meals) *
Advisory/Visitor: $125 (fee/facilities/meals) *

Regular Rate (4/29/2023)

Voting Member: $250 (fee/facilities/meals) *
Advisory Member: $175 (fee/facilities/meals) *

Optional Housing

Campus Housing can be reserved for one night – Friday, June 9^th – includes Saturday breakfast. OR two nights – Thursday, June 8^th & Friday, June 9th – includes Friday & Saturday breakfast.

Single Room (No A/C): $30 per person (Friday only)/ $60 per person (Thursday & Friday).
Single Room (with A/C): $54 per person (Friday only)/ $108 per person (Thursday & Friday).
Double Room (No A/C): $23 per person (Friday only)/ $46 per person (Thursday & Friday).
Double Room (with A/C): $42 per person (Friday only)/ $84 per person (Thursday & Friday).

Housing Notes

Only twin-size beds are available.
Roommate preferences must be indicated on online registration form.
Your roommate’s online registration must include the same request.
BOTH need to mark a double room, and EACH pay the double room rate.

Refunds

Download Registation Packet

Nomination / Election Information

Up for election at this year’s Synod Assembly are the following positions:

Synod Vice President (Lay)
Synod Secretary (Lay or Rostered)
Synod Treasurer (Lay or Rostered)
Synod Council-At Large (Rostered Male)
Synod Council-At Large (Lay Female)
Consultation Committee (Lay Female and Male)
Discipline Committee (Rostered Male)

Please read the position descriptions very carefully. If you know of anyone who might be a good fit to run (be sure to look in the mirror—it could be you!), please fill out the Pre-Nomination Form.

All names will be brought to the Nomination Committee for consideration.

Pre-Nomination Form

Embody the Word Register Today!

Join members in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod at the 2023 ELCA Churchwide Assembly taking place at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN.