Bishop’s Report & Recap: Synod Assembly 2025

Thank you—Southeastern Iowa Synod for the honor and privilege to serve as your bishop. I am grateful for the partnership that we share. And, I am grateful for the Office of the Bishop team—we are at full staff as of today. 

I am grateful that Pastor LeAnn Stubbs is back half-time as she continues to recover after the November car accident. I am grateful that the Synod Council encourages us to use our sabbaticals (not only for our refreshment and renewal but also as a model for our congregations/ministries to encourage sabbaticals for our rostered ministers). So Deacon Jodi Schuman is back from sabbatical, Pastor Dan Kuckuck begins sabbatical in a few hours, and, upon his return in early August, I will step into a sabbatical from August to September with a few weeks around Christmas to round it out. Thank you for your prayers and partnership for our team.

Synod Officers and Synod Council, Rostered Ministers, SAMS, Candidates for Ministry, professional lay ministers, and voting members and guests—together we with our communities of faith share the Good News! Thanks be to God! 

This report will be a look back at our last year with our theme, “Listen God is Calling” and then a look ahead at the ways we will gather as the “Spirit Opens Our Hearts”.

To learn more about the 2025 Synod Assembly, visit the recap page at www.seiasynod.org/2025-synod-assembly-recap.