Synod Assembly 2023

Cultivating Live-Giving Relationships

June 9 - June 11, 2023

Voting Members & Non-voting Members who are ordering lunch must Register by May 25

Schedule for Assembly Weekend

  • Friday, June 9, 2023 @ Holmen Lutheran

    12:00 pm Resolutions & Memorials Due

    1:30 pm Synod Executive Meeting

    2:00 pm Synod Council Meeting

    4:30 pm Drop-in Service Projects start at Holmen Lutheran

    5:00 pm Registration Opens/Choir Rehearsal

    6:00 pm Opening of Assembly/ Plenary Session 1

    6:45 pm Break

    7:00 pm Worship

  • Saturday, June 10, 2023 @ The La Crosse Center

    7:00 am Registration Opens/Pick Up Binder

    8:00 am Plenary Session 2

    -Orientation for Voting Members

    -Reports

    -Elections

    -Resolutions

    11:45 am Lunch (Boxed Lunches)

    12:30 pm Plenary Session 3

    -Keynote Speaker

    2:15 pm Workshop Session 1

    3:30 pm Workshop Session 2

    4:45 pm Gathering & Report of Elections

    6:00 pm Close Assembly

  • Sunday, June 11, 2023 @ Riverside Park

    9:00 am Choir Practice

    10:00 am Synod-wide Worship

    11:15 am Picnic

Assembly Workshops will take place Saturday, June 10th

Location: La Crosse Center 2:15 pm and 3:30 pm

Workshops are available for the public & assembly voting members.

ASSEMBLY DOCUMENTS & NEWS

ASSEMBLY OFFERING

The 2023 Tangible Offering will be Socks, Underwear and Bras to restock local Clothing Closets. There is a great need for these items. They will collected during Sunday, June 11th Worship.

  • Friday evening, June 9 - Synod General Fund

  • Saturday, June 10 - Envelopes with multiple options for Synod & ELCA ministries to pick from including:

    • ELCA World Hunger

    • Companion Synod Relationships

    • Synod Seminarian Endowment

    • LuMin (Lutheran Campus Ministry of La Crosse)

    • LuMin Endowment (Lutheran Campus Ministry of La Crosse)

    • Synod General Fund

    • Ministry of Your Choice (ie: Sugar Creek Bible Camp)

  • Sunday, June 11 - Offering designated by the assembly (voted on Saturday morning)

Service Project Opportunities

Cultivate Life-Giving Relationship right from the start at Synod Assembly by participating in one or more service projects available in the Holmen, WI area Friday afternoon.

 

Hours
4:30-6:00 pm Drop-In Projects Available

 Synod Assembly Milestones to be Recognized

  • New Rostered Leaders to the synod since the last synod assembly include:

    Rev. Emma Grince to Lewis Valley & Mindoro, Holmen/Mindoro, Wi

    Rev. Lucy Hardie to East Lemonweir & Bethany in New Lisbon, Wi

    Synodically Authorized Minister Kris Staufacher to Grace, Elroy, Wi

    Rev. Joan Wittrock to Bethany, Mauston

    Rev. Brad Lindberg to Interim at St. Peter & St. Stephen, Shennington/Camp Douglas, Wi

    Rev. Kary Jonas to Interim at Prince of Peace, La Crescent, MN

    Rev. Jim Scaife to Interim at Trinity, Sparta, Wi

    Rev. Kathy Ingbritsen to Interim at Mt. Calvary & Tamarack, Trempealeau/Arcadia, Wi

    Rev. Rich McLeer to Interim at Bethany & Zion & Lower Coon Valley, Westby/Viroqua, Wi

    Rev. Paul Sannerud to Interim at North Beaver Creek, Ettrick, Wi

  • 125th Anniversary

    English Lutheran in La Crosse, Wi

    Skogdalen in Westby, Wi

    Vang Lutheran in Westby, Wi

    150th Anniversary

    St Stephen Lutheran in Camp Douglas, Wi

    St Paul Evangelical Lutheran in Wauzeka, Wi

  • 10 Years

    The Rev. Amanda Schultz Garcia

    The Rev. Linda McPeak

    The Rev. Nile Sandeen

    15 Years

    The Rev. Carrie Anderson

    20 Years

    The Rev. Jason Stanton

    The Rev. Len Liptack

    The Rev. Margo Peterson

    The Rev. Matt Toso

    25 Years

    The Rev. Kris Bjerke-Ulliman

    30 Years

    The Rev. Michelle Rem

    The Rev. Mike Woods

    35 Years

    The Rev. Marlene Pankonin

    40 Years

    The Rev. Chuck Miller

    45 Years

    Deacon Marlene Wilhelm

    The Rev. April Larson

    The Rev. Judd Larson

    50 Years

    The Rev. Dennis Johnson

    60 Years

    The Rev. Duane Baardseth

    65 Years

    The Rev. Ronald Nowland

  • Congratulations to …

    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 opening of Synod Assembly on Friday at Holmen Lutheran, we will recognize and celebrate milestones in the ministry lives of Rostered Leaders and Congregations. On Sunday, during worship at Riverside Park we will commission, blessed and send out the Sugar Creek Summer Staff for their 2023 summer ministry.

Synod World Hunger Focus

As we become more aware of the precious resource of water, we invite you into this focus for the next year in our synod. 

Watch the Updates for resources, videos, slideshows, and the roll out of our next “hands on” project, which will be a water bucket for each congregation to decorate and then use as they wish in their churches – to receive noisy offerings, to  auction off to raise funds, to promote water awareness….the possibilities are many! 

More information will be shared at Synod Assembly.

What is Synod Assembly?

Synod Assembly is an annual gathering of voting members, leaders, pastors/staff, and volunteers from all 73 of our ministry sites in the La Crosse Area. It is a time where we intentionally walk together, to cultivate life-giving relationships rooted in God's love through times of worship, prayer, learning, conversation, offering, meals, service and highlighting our interdependent ministry relationship as we support mission partners, carry out synodical and churchwide initiatives, work to end hunger, respond to disaster and emergency needs, and heed the call to be a church engaged in all the world.

Resources for Worship

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Prayers in Preparation for Assembly Prayer

For the power of the Holy Spirit to be breathed among us and into us in our life together in this synod, in order to cultivate life-giving relationships.

Almighty God, shown fully to us in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks that by your Holy Spirit you sustain the church. By the Spirit’s power you call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole church. We continue to pray for your healing power in our weary world, in so many situations of violence, natural disaster, illness and death. Guide us into the ways that we can be your hands and feet and heart to bring healing, hope, and restoration and to cultivate life-giving relationships wherever possible, in order to find abundant life together.

As the Holy Spirit continues to work among us and in us, we pray for the strengthening of our communities of faith, as we navigate new challenges and possibilities. We pray for vision and creativity as we strive to be together as brothers and sisters in Christ in worship and prayer, conversation and learning, service and generosity. Be with our synod staff and all pastors and leaders in congregations, and all who gather as your church everywhere. Make us one in you. In our risen Lord Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Cultivating

Life-Giving Relationships