Synod Assembly 2022
2022 Synod Assembly Recap
By Bishop Felix Malpica
The 2022 Synod Assembly was an amazing and uplifting event! My first Synod Assembly as your Bishop was the boost of energy and enthusiasm that I needed! It was wonderful to witness the impactful ministry of our church being done here in the driftless area and around the world. I am proud of who we are and anticipate only growing in this sentiment. I must say a big “THANK YOU” to the many volunteers that made the event possible, the planning committee, our presenters, and our hosts at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, UW-L, and Riverside Park. My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to learn from all of them and all of you.
The Theme of “Wild Lament ~ Whirling Dance” captured the wide array of feelings we experienced in our gathering and serves as a call to action as we leap into another year of ministry together. In our communal acts of Wild Lament, we subversively call out sin at work in the world, wrestle with doubt, and participate in breaking down the oppressive powers of the world. We give name to the physical manifestations of sin in the world… global climate change, institutionalized and individual racism, indigenous erasure, gender and sexuality violence, and the many ways sin continues to lure us into fractured relationships.
In our Whirling Dance (if we can be so bold!) we have an opportunity to build up again. We can embrace radical optimism, we can create a new story and we can live into God’s abundance. This is our opportunity to experience a foretaste of the feast to come. When we join the dance, we demonstrate to the world an alternate reality that it so desperately needs.
In and through Wild Lament and Whirling Dance I am challenging you to open yourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit. May this year be an opportunity to cultivate life giving relationships rooted in God’s love through the power of Wild Lament and Whirling dance!
ASSEMBLY DOCUMENTS & NEWS
Memorials Proposed
2023 Proposed Minimum Guidelines Compensation for Rostered Leaders with a Parsonage - passed
2023 Proposed Minimum Guidelines Compensation for Rostered Leaders without a Parsonage - passed
2022 Compensation Guidelines for Supply and Shared Time Pastoral Services - passed
New Synod Officers
Jesse Klosterboer, Synod Vice President (St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran, Prairie du Chien)
Dennis Glaman, Synod Secretary (Trinity Lutheran-Sparta)
Assembly Offerings
Friday evening, June 10 - Synod General Fund
Saturday, June 11 - Envelopes with multiple options for Synod ministries and ELCA programs will be provided
Sunday, June 12 - Offering designated by the assembly to be split 3 ways between Dignity Homes-La Crosse, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and the Synod Anti-Racism Task Force
Materials to Share with Your Congregation
Below are resources to help you share your Synod Assembly experience with your congregation, friends and family. If you have any questions or need assistance, want to share pictures you took at Assembly with the synod, reach out to Brianna Iverson in the synod office.
Resource for colored printing, posting and reading Online
Resource for B&W Printing
Resource for Inserting Individual Pages into Your Publications
Cultivating Lifegiving Relationships Rooted in God's Love
SYNOD ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHT: The new Mission Statement Launched!
At the council meeting on May 19th, the Synod council voted to adopt “Cultivating Life-Giving Relationships Rooted in God’s Love” as our mission statement. This will guide our ministry both as Synod office and as 73 congregations in ministry together. Throughout the next year, we will be asking the question, “Are we cultivating life-giving relationships rooted in God’s love through this ministry?” If we are, great! Let’s find ways that we need to invest in this ministry. If we are not, it may be time to reconsider this ministry, find ways to alter it, or perhaps let it go. This is a crucial time for the church in which we are being called to faithfully reflect on how to be the church in a changing world.
As I look ahead, I am excited to see where the Holy Spirit leads us to nurture existing relationships and where to develop new ones.
One thing I know for sure, when we open our hearts and reach out with God’s love, Jesus shows up. And With Jesus in our midst, anything is possible.
Grace and peace be with you all.
-Rev. Felix Javier Malpica, Bishop
Synod Assembly Milestones Recognized
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New Rostered Leaders to the synod since the last synod assembly include:
Rev. Alma Buco to Chaplain at Gundersen Health Care System
Rev. Alyssa Weaver to Westby Coon Prairie & Vang, Westby, Wi
Rev. Mark Bartusch to Our Redeemer, La Crosse, Wi
Rev. Linda McPeak to Chaplain at Eagle Crest Communities
Rev. Hillary Burns-Kite to St. Peter’s Evangelical, Prairie du Chien, Wi
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125th Anniversary
Living Hope Lutheran in Ettrick, Wi
150th Anniversary
Mindoro Lutheran in Mindoro, Wi
Fish Creek Lutheran in Rockland, Wi
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5 Years
The Rev. Becky Goche
The Rev. Luci Sesvold
The Rev. Chris Sesvold
10 Years
The Rev. Miranda Klosterboer
15 Years
The Rev. Barbara Bruneau
Deacon Karen Gerth
20 Years
The Rev. Meg Hoversten
25 Years
The Rev. Sam Giere
The Rev. Lisa Shank
The Rev. Mitzi (Ruth Ann) Miyamoto
35 Years
The Rev. Harold Bringsjord
The Rev. Kristine Fahey
Deacon Nancy Folkedahl
40 Years
The Rev. Barbara R Rossing
The Rev. Cheryl Matthews
45 Years
The Rev. Daniel Henderson
The Rev. Dennis Hallemeier
The Rev. Elizabeth Druckrey-Stempinski
The Rev. Mark E Jolivette
50 Years
The Rev. Theodore Dewald Jr
55 Years
The Rev. Gerald Staehling
62 Years
The Rev. Harris Hostager
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The Rev. John Yungerberg who was retired, died on October 18, 2021
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Congratulations to Leslie Peterson, Dori Jensen, Gretchen Jacobson, and Vernetta Moe
To earn a Certificate of Completion from the La Crosse Area Synod School of Theology students are expected to take: 6 Bible, 6 Theology/Study of God, 3 Church History, 6 Ministry Skills and 2 Spiritual Development courses
At the start of Synod Assembly we recognized and celebrated milestones in the ministry lives of Rostered Leaders and congregations. On Sunday, we commissioned, blessed and sent out the Sugar Creek Summer Staff or their 2022 summer ministry. Thank you taking up the call!
Sugar Creek Bible Camp Summer Staff
at Synod Assembly Worship
Southeastern Synod Support
Friday Night of Synod Assembly, Bishop Kevin Strickland brought greetings from our our partner Southeastern Synod (representing ELCA congregations in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee). His sermon was a highlight for many in attendance that evening.
Following our Assembly, Bishop Strickland was inspired by our "Raising the Barn" World Hunger initiative and the Southeastern Synod made a donation of $715 to help us to continue the work making sure ALL ARE FED. Each decorated barn at Synod Assembly represented of a donation of $715 or more from participating congregations and the Assembly stage was filled with barns!
Peru Partnership
We were honored to have Pedro Bullón, Pastor President of the Iglesia Luterana del Perú, here in La Crosse to accompany us in our Assembly. Pastor Pedro was able to meet with many people during his time here.
Our companion relationship with the IL-P will be celebrating 20 years in 2023, and our churches are planning a number of activities to mark the occasion, including a synod delegation to visit Peru and walk with our sisters and brothers there. Watch for updates as the planning progresses.
by Greg Attelson
Slovakian Missionaries
and Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Images from our 2022 Synod Assembly
