Synod Council Meeting Summary - December 2025
The synod council met for the final time for 2025 on Saturday, December 13 by Zoom. Vice President Keith Jones led the synod council through Dwelling in the Word using the text appointed for this season of Psalm 148.
The synod council was treated to pictures and stories from Bishop Current’s trip to the synod’s two Companion Synods, the Mwanga and Pare Dioceses in Tanzania. Bishop Current plans to share her pictures and stories with the whole synod through the newsletter and via Zoom in the Epiphany season. Bishop Current also led the education session for this meeting by reporting on the Generosity Pilot Project that was just completed. The project included gathering data about a selection of sixteen congregations from their annual Form A and mission support giving patterns. The bishop and either Vice President Jones or Treasurer Jana Grimm made visits to each congregation to meet with the pastor and key leaders. The annual report of the synod was shared in addition to the congregation’s data. Each visit also included gratitude for generosity and an “ask” tailored to that congregation – either to continue with their mission support or to prayerfully consider an increase. Bishop Current thanked the two officers and Amy Van Dyke, Associate for Finance, and Samantha Fash, Associate for Administration, for all the preparation work they both did for the visits.
In business session, the synod council approved roster changes. This included extending a new type of call available to synod councils as a “Supply Pastor.” The synod council also approved contracts for replacing the roof on the Synod Center for Ministry and the contract for the annual financial audit. Each December the synod council approves the housing allowance designations for the pastors on the synod payroll with a reminder to congregations to do the same at their December council meetings. The synod council also approved amendments to the Synod Personnel Policies recommended by the Human Resources Committee. The synod council voted to remove Zion, Atalissa as a congregation due to their joining the LCMC and calling an LCMC pastor without consultation with the Office of the Bishop. The synod council approved a recommendation from the Bishop Election Committee for a timeline for the bishop election occurring at the 2026 Synod Assembly.
The bishop’s report included highlights from her sabbatical. Bishop Current also reported on recent synod events such as the Tri-Synod Fall Gathering in September and the Boundary Education Day in November. Bishop Current shared that she would join the people of St. Paul in Bouton on December 14, 2025, as they conclude their ministry as a congregation and work toward Holy Closure.
Bishop Current included an invitation to several upcoming synod events as part of her report: an ecumenical worship service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the launch of the all-synod reads with Pastor Stubbs, the Children, Youth, and Family Network TEDx Day, the Lent and Retiree Gatherings for rostered ministers, and Synod Assembly in May. She also reminded the synod council about reports that are completed early in the new year such as the Annual Congregation Report-Form A, Annual Rostered Minister Report to the Bishop, and 2026 Mission Support Intent.
The next meeting of the Synod Council will be Saturday, February 21 on Zoom.