All actively serving rostered ministers (pastors and deacons) are voting members at Synod Assembly. They do not count towards your lay voting member limits.

Retired rostered ministers who wish to attend as a voting member should contact the synod office prior to registering.

The number of lay voting members your congregation elects depends on the number of baptized members reported on your 2021 congregational report form A. We encourage congregations to choose  voting members who will represent a range of age, ethnicity, and gender whenever possible.

All congregations may elect at least two lay voting members to the Synod Assembly.

Congregations having 750 to 1,249 baptized members may elect a third lay voting member. Thereafter an additional lay voting member may be added for each additional 500 baptized members of the congregation (e.g. at 1,250 members, 1,750 members, etc.).

All congregations may add one voting member to the number allotted if that additional member is a youth or young adult (30 or younger when elected).

Use our handy chart to see how many voting lay people your congregation can register for Synod Assembly. This page also includes some helpful FAQs about voting members.

We do our best to keep costs as low as possible. This year’s registration fees are:

Adults 31 and over: $235. $260 after April 30.

Youth, young adults 30 and under, retired rostered ministers: $135. $160 after April 30.

• You may register and pay for multiple people from the same congregation on one form.  Individuals can also register on their own.

• Before you begin, check the voting members table and the “alloted voting numbers” tab above to confirm how many voting members your congregation is allowed. Then, gather the following information for each voting member:

each individual’s name

address

email

phone

meal choices

childcare needs

*please note that we communicate directly via email with each voting member

If you are a retired rostered minister and wish to be a voting member of synod assembly, please contact Mary Romskog no later than March 31. We also encourage you to review the information below that was send to all retired rostered ministers.

In accordance with the bylaw adopted at the 2022 assembly (this number is 15% of the 153 retired rostered ministers in the synod as of 12/31/22). For 2023 this number is 22.

Retired rostered ministers serving under contract in transitional ministries are automatically granted voting privileges (there are currently three people in this category), and others will need to register their desire to serve as a voting member. If you would like to serve as a voting member at the synod assembly, please contact Mary Romskog in the synod office by March 31, 2023. If there are more than 19 people who do so, we will conduct a vote, allowing you as the retired rostered ministers decide who will be the voting members.

Remember: all retired rostered ministers are welcome to register for the assembly, at a reduced rate. Those not granted voting privileges are allowed to speak on all matters before the assembly, but limiting the voting to 15% of the retired roster helps us maintain the required lay/rostered minister balance.

Draft Agenda

This agenda will be updated as we near our event dates.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023 – Authentic Diversity Audit Informational Zoom

6:30 pm – on Zoom (link will be emailed in advance)

This 90 minute zoom meeting will give assembly members an opportunity to learn about the background of the authentic diversity audit providing the necessary foundation for the work we will do during assembly.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023 – New to Assembly Orientation and Budget Presentation

6:30 pm – New to Assembly Orientation on Zoom (link will be emailed)

Are you a first time voting member? Do you need a refresher on the work of the assembly? Join us for this one hour orientation that will guide you through the work of the assembly and how we accomplish this work.

7:30 pm – Budget Presentation on Zoom (link will be emailed)

This hour long zoom will give you an opportunity to preview the budget, ask questions, and be prepared for action on the budget that will take place during the Synod Assembly.

Friday, June 2, 2023 – Lunch is “on your own”

1:00 pm – Registration opens 
2:15 pm – Plenary 1

5:30 pm – Dinner and Keynote Speaker

7:00 pm – Worship and dessert reception

Saturday, June 3, 2023

8:30 am – Plenary 2

10:00 am – Break

10:15 am – Plenary 2 resumes

12:00 pm – Lunch

1:15 pm – Plenary 3

2:45 pm – Break

3:00 pm – Plenary 3 resumes

5:00 pm – Closing of Assembly

Please check this page for updated information that will assist you as you prepare to attend Synod Assembly.

Here are a few tips to get started:

• Materials and information will be shared directly with voting members at the email address you provided. This includes credentials for voting during assembly. If your your email address changes or you are not receiving information starting in May, please contact us immediately.
  
  

• Take advantage of the pre-assembly Zoom gatherings regarding the Authentic Diversity Audit (May 30 at 6:30 pm on zoom),  and the New to Assembly Orientation and Budget Prevention (May 31 at 6:30 pm on zoom). Learn more by visiting the Agenda tab.
  
  

• Synod Assembly work includes being informed about the resolutions, rules, constitutional amendments, elected positions and more that will be presented.  We strongly encourage you to take the time to read through the information and be prepared for discussion and voting during assembly. Learn more by visiting the Resolutions tab and the Nominations and Open Positions tab and accessing the files at the bottom of this page.
  
  

Assembly Rules

Constitutional Amendments

The following positions are open for nominations at Synod Assembly:

Consultation Committee (6 positions listed below)

The role of the consultation committee is spelled out in detail in chapter 20 of the ELCA’s constitution, focusing on working to resolve conflicts within the synod and in congregations. The term of service is six years and members may not be elected to consecutive terms.

At Large, Lay Female (full term: 9/1/23 – 8/31/29)
At Large, Lay Male (full term: 9/1/23 – 8/31/29)
At Large, Lay Male (partial term: now – 8/31/2027)
At Large, Rostered Minister – 2 positions (full term: 9/1/23 – 8/31/29)
At Large, Rostered Minister (partial term: now – 8/31/2027

Synod Council (8 positions listed below)

The Synod Council shall be the board of directors of this synod and shall serve as its interim legislative authority between meetings of the Synod Assembly.

At Large, Lay Female (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
At Large, Lay Male (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
At Large, Rostered Minister (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
At Large, Youth (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2025)
South Central Conference, Lay Male (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
West Conference, Rostered Minister (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
West Central Conference, Lay Female (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)
Secretary, Rostered Minister or Layperson (full term: 9/1/2023 – 8/31/2027)

Nominating Committee
All positions nominated and appointed by Synod Council

Please note: Gender non-binary or gender non-conforming people can be nominated to serve in any roles designated for gendered representation.

Use this fillable pdf or our online form to submit a nomination form.

The deadline to submit a resolution was March 31, 2023. When a resolution is submitted it will be reviewed and then added to the document files below.

Learn more about resolutions and memorials – what they are, how to write them and more –  in this guide and this flowchart.

Final Resolutions

Reference and Counsel Report

Resolution 1 – Final – Resolution to Amend the ELCA Constitution to Include Creation Care
Resolution 2 – Final – Resolution in Support of Raise the Age Wisconsin
Resolution 3 – Final – Resolution to Increase the Commitment to Continuing Education
Resolution 4 – Final – Resolution to Establish a Compensation Guidelines Task Force
Resolution 5 – Final – Resolution to Develop a Social Statement on Children and Vulnerable Youth

Original Resolutions Submitted by the March 31, 2023 deadline

Resolution 1 – Original – Resolution to Amend the ELCA Constitution to Include Creation Care
Resolution 2 – Original – Resolution in Support of Raise the Age Wisconsin
Resolution 3 – Original – Resolution to Increase the Commitment to Continuing Education
Resolution 4 – Original – Resolution to Establish a Compensation Guidelines Task Force
Resolution 5 – Original – Resolution to Develop a Social Statement on Children and Vulnerable Youth

We do a lot of important work during Synod Assembly, and one of the most important things we do is to worship together. This is a time to ground us in the word of God, bring us together as the body of Christ, and help us prayerfully reflect and prepare for the work ahead.

Our Synod Assembly worship service, scheduled for the evening of Friday, June 2, 2023 at the Italian Community Center Festa Ballroom, is open to everyone. You do not need to be a registered member of the assembly to attend worship.

Assembly Offering

All offering gifts received will go to the Greater Milwaukee Synod’s Ken Wheeler Scholarship Fund, established in his name to aid African American seminarians. Donate here or with our QR code.

Preacher: Rev. Kenneth W. Wheeler (he/him)

Pastor Kenneth W. Wheeler is a retired ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is a sought-after preacher, public theologian, and writer. Most of his writings, sermons, and lectures focus on faith, race, and social justice.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Pastor Wheeler earned a B.A. in Religion from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He is a guest lecturer on pastoral leadership in the 21st century at Wartburg Theological Seminary, where he received a Doctor of Divinity Degree honoris causa.

Pastor Wheeler is also a respected elder and mentor to young pastors and seminarians. The Greater Milwaukee Synod’s Ken Wheeler Scholarship was established in his name to aid African American seminarians.

We are delighted to welcome Pardeep S. Kaleka as our keynote speaker on Friday, June 2 for our assembly dinner.  You may purchase tickets for the dinner only by clicking on the yellow “Dinner Ticket Purchase” button above. Dinner tickets are $50 each.

Pardeep S. Kaleka is a hate and violence prevention senior advisor with Not In Our Town and a de-radicalization psychotherapist with Parents4Peace, assisting families and individuals offramp violent ideologies. He is also the author of “The Gifts of Our Wounds” and an award-winning columnist with Milwaukee Independent. As a first-generation immigrant from India, Mr. Kaleka has spent more than 25 years in the public arenas of law enforcement, education, social services, and assisting hate crime survivors and perpetrators across the United States with recovery. He is the former director of the Interfaith Conference and has also worked on numerous coalition-building efforts across ethnic, racial and religious differences. With a specialization in understanding the impacts of communal trauma, he has developed policies and practices to help mental health workers, social service practitioners, law enforcement agents, and educators build healthier, safer, more inclusive communities across the US. In 2012, following the death of his father in the hate killings at the Oak Creek Sikh Temple, he founded Serve2Unite, an organization nationally recognized for bridging school and community groups.

We invite you to learn about Rev. Ken Wheeler, our worship preacher, and Pardeep Kaleka, our dinner keynote on the worship and dinner tickets/keynote speakers tabs.

Plenary Speakers

Rev. Kevin Jacobson

ELCA Representative Rev. Kevin Jacobson serves as Director for Global Service on the ELCA Churchwide staff. He has worked in Lutheran global mission and education for over two decades. He is passionate about encouraging congregations to engage in God’s global mission through the
accompaniment model.

Rev. Jacobson is a life–long Lutheran who grew up in Blair, Wisconsin. He holds a degree in Elementary Education, and has taught in Wisconsin, and In Liberia as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Following his theological studies at Luther Seminary, he was ordained as an ELCA pastor and called to serve as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, where he worked for nine years. This was a formative time in shaping Kevin’s passion for how our church engages in mission and ministry in the world.

From 1997 – 2007, Kevin served as Director for Global Mission Education in the ELCA Global Mission unit of the Lutheran Center in Chicago. From 2007 – 2017, Kevin served in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname, facilitating training and development opportunities for lay and pastoral leaders.

Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold

Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold is the Owner & Founder of GELLC with 26 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategic planning, facilitation, Multicultural & Antiracist Organizational Development, Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation, Truth & Racial Healing Circles™, project management, and change management.

Dr. Gold has served as programmer, faculty, and administrator at small and large institutions, private and public, including Bridgewater College (Virginia); the University of Virginia; University of Mary Washington (Virginia); University of Maryland, College Park; The George Washington University (DC), University of Baltimore, School of Law (Maryland), and Towson University (Maryland).

Dr. Gold has recent honors as a Baltimore Business Journal Leader in Diversity (2020), a team lead for Towson University’s Truth and Racial Healing Institute (2020), as well as a team lead for Towson University as the recipients of the Insight Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for 2020 and 2021. Most recently, Dr. Gold was named as one of 50 Tory Burch Foundation Fellows for 2022.

Dr. Gold identifies as a Black, cis–gender, heterosexual, female, first–generation college student, born, raised, educated in Southern Virginia and the parent of two sons, Trai (12) and Kendrick (8).

Dr. Lisa Ingarfield

Dr. Lisa Ingarfield has a doctorate in Intercultural Communications and is a mixed methods researcher and evaluator, with additional certifications in program evaluation and survey methodology. She currently teaches in the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, focusing on intimate partner violence, feminist social work, and state policy advocacy.

Dr. Ingarfield has committed her research career to supporting organizations to challenge the status quo and implement innovative, transformative programs. She has successfully received numerous federal research and evaluation grants connected to gender equity and leadership. She has also developed training and educational curricula, assisted organizations with impact evaluation including the
development of short– and long–term outcomes and she has conducted multiple training and coaching sessions for clients.

Dr. Ingarfield is a white, heterosexual, cisgender, first generation high school graduate and collegestudent, and is originally from the United Kingdom, raised in London.

Erica Johnson

Erica L. Johnson is God’s musical servant, and a guest musician for this Assembly. She has served as Music Director of Hephatha Lutheran for over 30 years: Assisting the ministry, directing the choir, and accompanying the congregation. She is also a public-school music teacher and is very passionate about sharing her gift of music to inspire her students.

Outside of music, Erica serves on the board for MLK Scholarships Milwaukee, helping students achieve higher education in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She is also a board member of the Black String Triage Ensemble, a musical group that is committed to using music as a healing force for the soul in the immediate aftermath of community violence.

Charlotte John-Gómez

Charlotte John-Gómez is has served as President of the Siebert Lutheran Foundation since 2018. At the heart of her work is the ability to live out her faith as a servant leader by upholding the original vision and legacy left by Mr. Siebert.

She has worked in community development for over 20 years, including with the US Peace Corps, the Milwaukee Common Council, Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In her current role, Charlotte works closely with the Board of Directors to strategically drive investment in the Lutheran community. She oversees all the Foundation’s staff and operations, serves as the face and spokesperson for the Foundation, cultivates partnerships with grantees and others to increase impact, and leads Siebert Serves.