In our synod constitution (Chapter 12) there are five purposes of clusters:

a. fostering interdependent relationships among congregations for mission purposes [in four specific areas]

b. developing relationships with other religious and secular organizations dedicated to advocating justice and providing services to meet human needs.

c. seeking to facilitate communication between the congregations of the cluster and the synod.

d. providing a forum for conversation about matters coming before the Synod Assembly. e. submitting nominations for any available synod position to the Synod Nominating Committee.

That’s the Constitution, but what does it actually look like? When I was a member of the Treasure Valley Cluster, we regularly asked, “What can we do together as a cluster that we cannot do alone?” or “What can we do better together?” That led to several collaborations. Many of our pastors met for weekly text study. We also wondered if all of our churches really needed their own copier agreements. Alternatively, in my first call in rural Western Iowa, I was in a congregation far from the hub of my mostly urban cluster, but I drove weekly for a great text study, followed by lunch, with pastors from two clusters. The collegiality was a lifeline. We also have clusters in the NWIM Synod whose rostered leaders go on retreats together. Last week, dozens of members, rostered and lay people, of the Lower Columbia Basin Cluster went to a baseball game together! 

No one is going to prescribe exactly how to be a cluster. I have told the deans that I expect them to pull together the active rostered leaders every other month online or in person to check in on one another. Many rostered leaders do meet weekly or monthly in person for text study. Lay and rostered people should come together before regular synod assemblies, as our constitution states, though I celebrate those clusters that come together more often for business or recreation or worship.

During the winter deans’ retreat we created some potentially different boundaries/clusters. We encourage everyone to try these on and, if they work, we can work towards formalizing them. Why this experiment and potential changes? So much has changed since the synod was created in the late 1980s. So, here they are, with their respective dean(s).

• Upper Snake River (still Twin Falls to Jackson) – Pastor Wayne Shipman

• Treasure Valley (still Ontario to Mountain Home) – Pastors Lucas Shurson and Paul Malek

• North Idaho (still Coeur d’Alene to Bonners Ferry) – Pastors Dan Forsgren and Matt Erickson

• Columbia Basin (still Tri-Cities plus Walla Walla and Othello) – Pastor Kirsten Sauey Hoffman

• South Central Washington (still Ellensburg to Grandview) – Pastor Dennis Hickman

• Palouse and Tsceminicum Clusters Joined – Pastor Wes Howell

• Mount Spokane and Spokane Valley Clusters Joined – Pastors Joel Skindlov and Matt Larson

• North Central Washington Cluster gains Moses Lake – Pastor Paul Palumbo

• West Spokane/West Plains Cluster includes Davenport, Egypt, Reardon, Medical Lake, Ritzville, Sprague, Wilbur, Salem, All Saints, Central, and St. Mark’s – Pastors Carol Yeager and Nathaneil Christman

If you are not sure about your cluster, ask your pastor, deacon, or council president. If you are curious about who represents your cluster on the synod council, visit the synod website: https://nwimsynod.org/council We hope your cluster council reps are conduits of communication between the synod council and the clusters.

Last year at synod assembly, we met under the theme Bega Kwa Bega, a Swahili phrase which translates shoulder to shoulder. We use this phrase to describe our relationship with our companion synod, the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese of Tanzania. It also could be used to describe cluster relationships: you and your congregations walking shoulder to shoulder with other congregations in your cluster. (I will use a future column to encourage walking bega kwa bega with ecumenical partners.)

For now, know that cluster relationships are important. Sometimes members of clusters gather for a timely reason or with a specific goal. Sometimes the simple purposes for gathering are prayer and getting to know one another. If it’s the latter, trust that the Holy Spirit will in time produce fruit from that faithful gathering. 

Peace,

Bishop Manlove