Dear friends,
From April 28-30, 2023 the Northwest Intermountain Synod gathered BEGA KWA BEGA (shoulder to shoulder) together in assembly in Pasco, WA to accomplish the business of our synod, to celebrate the ministry that comes out of our partnership, and to worship and pray with one another. During opening and closing worship, $6,424 in offering was collected to be split evenly between the Wells Endowment for Campus Ministry, Lutheran Disaster Response and Ulanga Kilombero Diocese Girls’ Scholarships at Tumaini School! There is still opportunity to give & support these wonderful causes. Simply click here. It was a joy to have people from the three congregations in the Tri-Cities, Pasco First, Lord of Life-Kennewick, and First-Kennewick join us for closing worship on Sunday morning, including a 50-60 person choir formed by Assembly attendees and local church members!
Another gift of being in a denomination is that we are not alone in this work, and we can celebrate the work done in our name in other parts of our synod, country, and world. Here are some highlights of the work that was accomplished and celebrated this weekend.
We had the privilege of undertaking an election for bishop. After six candidates, four ballots, and a lengthy Q & A, the gathered assembly elected Pastor Meggan Manlove as the next bishop of the NWIM Synod. We are grateful to all the candidates (with the support of their congregations and families) for letting their names go forward. And I am excited for Bishop-Elect Meggan and her leadership. The Bishop-Elect is currently serving at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nampa, Idaho, where she has been for the last 12 years. You can read more about her and all the candidates here. The Assembly gave a standing ovation to Bishop Kristen in gratitude for her 6 years of service in that office. Bishop-Elect Meggan will start her term July 1. Her installation is scheduled for October 7 at Cathedral of the Rockies, Boise, ID.
We also had the privilege of undergoing an election for two officer position on the Synod Council: vice president, which is the highest lay office (lay = not pastor or deacon) in the synod, and synod secretary, a role that may be held by a lay person or a rostered minister. Lisa Therrell, member of Faith Lutheran, Leavenworth, WA, was elected as our next vice president. Her term will begin September 1, 2023. Randy Darst, member of St. Mark’s Lutheran, Spokane, WA, was elected as synod secretary. His term will begin September 1, 2024.
There were many other elections for Synod Council and Synod Committees for terms beginning over the next two years.
Terms starting September 1, 2023:
Jeff Campbell - Grace Lutheran, Horseshoe Bend, ID – Synod Council (SC) Lay At Large Member
Edmund (EJ) Preuschoff – Emmanuel Lutheran, Reardan, WA – SC Youth Representative
Gwen Sullivan – Emmanuel Lutheran, Moscow, ID – SC Palouse Cluster Representative
Rev. Joel Skindlov – Prince of Peace Lutheran, Spokane, WA – SC Mt. Spokane Cluster Representative
Rev. Ian McMichael – Peace Lutheran, Colfax, WA/Trinity Lutheran, Endicott, WA – Consultation Committee Member
Patty Cowen – Zion Lutheran, Deer Park, WA - Consultation Committee Member
Lynette Chandler – Immanuel Lutheran, Boise, ID - Discipline Committee Member
Margie Rahr – Our Savior Lutheran, Twin Falls, ID - Discipline Committee Member
Scott Venera – Trinity Lutheran, Coeur d’Alene, ID - Discipline Committee Member
Terms starting September 1, 2024:
Michael Roach - Faith Lutheran, Caldwell, ID - SC Lay At Large Member
Rev. Matthew Erickson - Calvary Lutheran, Post Falls, ID - SC Rostered Leader At Large Member
Rev. Tricia Christman - Emanuel Lutheran, Ritzville, WA/St. John Lutheran, Sprague, WA - SC Big Bend Cluster Representative
Rhonde Veile - Fairfield Community Church, Fairfield, WA - Spokane Valley Cluster Representative
Rev. Ron Shipman - Lord of Life Lutheran, Kennewick, WA - Discipline Committee Member
Rev. Tim Stadem - Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran, Jackson, WY -Discipline Committee Member
We elected voting members from our Synod to attend the next Churchwide Assembly, which will take place the summer of 2025. The following people were elected:
Rev. Meggan Manlove – NWIM Synod Bishop-Elect
Lisa Therrell – Faith Lutheran, Leavenworth, WA – NWIM Synod Vice President-Elect
Rev. Dane Breslin – The Sunnyslope Church, UCC/COB, Wenatchee, WA
Casey Cross – Hope Lutheran, Eagle, ID
Jason Mills – Trinity Lutheran, Nampa, ID
Mondo Davila – Celebration Lutheran, East Wenatchee, WA
Rev. Kirsten Sauey Hofmann – Lord of Life Lutheran, Kennewick, WA – Contingent Voting Member
We also received and passed five resolutions over the weekend. Two of them were for amendments to the synod constitution and the SHARE Fund policy with no major changes and can be accessed here.
The third was a resolution to encourage the development and support of diaper banks within our communities.
The fourth was a resolution in support of the dignity, honor, and rights of transgender humans. This came about largely in response to the legalized discrimination of trans folk in Idaho (part of our synod), and many other parts of our country. The resolution asks that we proclaim God's love for trans folk; declare our intention to love them unconditionally; encourage our congregations to welcome trans folk, affirm their humanity and dignity, and joyfully receive them into membership and into the mission we share; encourage congregations to pray publicly in Sunday worship for the well-being of trans folk; and encourage congregations to study and gain knowledge of challenges facing trans folk, enter into dialogue "with holy curiosity" regarding trans experience, and speak and act in ways that honor the lives of transgender people. This resolution passed unanimously, with no dissenting votes or comments.
The fifth resolution was to condemn the use of the firing squad as a method of execution in the state of Idaho, and condemn the use of capital punishment in all forms.
In addition to all this business, we had the privilege of seeing videos and presentations throughout the weekend that lifted up our theme, Bega Kwa Bega (Swahili for shoulder-to-shoulder). These videos highlighted ministry throughout our synod from the work of ministry sites within the NWIM Synod and ministry partners from across the globe.
It was a joy to host a friend from the Ulanga-Kilombero Diocese (UKD), Philorian Mpendaye, who shared a letter from Bishop Mtenji, brought gifts for Bishop Kristen, and shared stories about the work God is doing throughout the UKD. Even more, his presentation highlighted some of the ways we are Bega Kwa Bega with the UKD as well. What a blessing!
Leading up to Assembly, the Executive Committee of the Synod Council awarded over $80,000 in SHARE Grants to the following ministries:
And $17,600 in NWIM Synod Fund for Leaders Scholarships to: Ethan Edsall, Andy Hamblen, Lori Tharp, Amy Walls. These scholarships help offset the cost of seminary education, easing the financial burden of entering ministry.
What a weekend naming and celebrating many of the ways God is at work across the NWIM Synod!