Dear Friends in Christ,
When we talk about the Northwest Intermountain Synod, I find it helpful to be clear about what exactly we are referring to. We are all the synod—congregations, ministry sites, and individuals. Our highest governing body is the Synod Assembly, which is required by the constitution to meet at least every other year. The Synod Council is the board of directors of the synod and serves as the interim legislative authority between meetings of the Synod Assembly. Our Council currently meets twice in person each year and once online. The synod staff consists of four of us full time staff: Assistant to the Bishop Pastor Phil Misner, Director for Evangelical Mission Pastor Liv Larson Andrews, Executive Assistant Cathy Steiner, and me, plus part-time Website and E-news Communicator Lin Carlson.
In early December, Cathy, Liv, Phil, and I had a two-day retreat facilitated by two staff from Gonzaga University. We had several pieces of pre-work to do in advance of the retreat: identifying our personal values (the things that motivate us or give us direction) and social styles. You can imagine already that the facilitators accelerated our getting to know one another on a deeper level. They also facilitated conversations in which we identified the work we must do as the synod staff and who should be doing what. They helped us create our staff purpose and our goals for at least a few years. For this work, they lifted up our synod mission and vision statements and the ELCA’s Future Directions work. They also guided us as we talked about the gifts and needs in our synod.
Our staff purpose, which we keep in front of us weekly, is Serve, accompany, and equip ministry sites and leaders of the NWIM of the ELCA so they can point to and participate in the gracious work of Jesus.
Our goals are:
Cultivate a team culture that enables our collective work and individual thriving. Put simply, we know our staff culture impacts the entire synod. Our collaborative work with synod council also fits here.
Amplify collective gifts and resources by deepening and broadening relationships and partnerships. We are working to elevate and partner with our outdoor ministries, nurture cluster collaboration, and create additional opportunities for gathering within and around the synod. Our commitment to ecumenical partnerships also lives with this goal.
Develop and raise up discerning leaders who proclaim and further the Gospel. We will keep our Candidacy Committee well equipped and encourage everyone to continue identifying and encouraging future rostered leaders. We will also create pathways for lay people to become Synod Authorized Ministers. We will encourage networks, cohorts, and continuing education. We will use our goals to inform our existing work and events (primarily Fall Convocation and the Regional Gatherings).
Equip and empower partners to practice stewardship towards solidarity in Christ. This is where creation care, anti-racism, LGBTQ solidarity work belongs. Work around land stewardship also lives here. All of these are rooted in our staff purpose: Serve, accompany, and equip ministry sites and leaders of the NWIM of the ELCA so they can point to and participate in the gracious work of Jesus.
The staff and I hope to keep creating space for congregations, cohorts, small groups, and sometimes groups of only 2-3 people to encounter the very real presence of the Triune God. We know that God is going ahead of us, is truly with us, redeeming the world. Our staff wants all of us to receive, point to, and participate in what God is already doing.
Bishop Meggan Manlove