Synod Assembly 2026
As of April 27th our display tables are full and we are not able to accept any additional requests or any walk-in displays. A list of display tables is included below in the Things to Know Before you Register area.
Important Dates
April 30, 2026: Final day of early bird pricing
May 1, 2026: Registration prices increase
May 15, 2026: Cancellation deadline (cancellations after this date cannot be refunded)
May 15, 2026 – Advance registration closes (including registrations with childcare)
2026 Registration Fees
Voting Members/Non-voting members: $245 (early bird pricing – register by April 30)/$270 (standard pricing – register May 1 or later.
- Retired Rostered Ministers, Youth, Young Adults:$145 (early bird pricing – register by April 30)/$170 (standard pricing – register May 1 or later)
Synod Assembly Guests
Bishop Elias Kitoi Nasari - Global Companion from Tanzania
Bishop of Meru Diocese in Tanzania
Bishop Elias Kitoi Nassari was born at Mulala Village in Meru, and pursued his study in Theology at the then Makumira University College before being ordained to become a pastor in 1984 and served in various parishes in Meru and Northern Dioceses.
Bishop Elias Kitoi Nassari became the District pastor of Meru before moving to the United States for Masters of Divinity and Sacred Theology Masters. He worked as a pastor in the United States for ten years, in addition to being a Missionary between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) and ELCA. This time helped forge a lasting relationship with Bishop Paul Erickson and the Greater Milwaukee Synod. He served as Assistant to the Bishop in Meru Diocese, and later became Bishop of Meru Diocese of the ELCT in 2017.
His work focuses on community development, including education and partnerships, such as those with Kikatiti Secondary School. He has fostered strong relationships with international partners, including congregations in Bavaria, Germany.
Bishop Guadalupe Cortéz - Global Companion from El Salvador
Bishop of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church
In January 2025, Bishop Guadalupe was installed as church president and bishop of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Salvadoreña or ILS) for a four-year term. She is the second bishop since the church’s founding, and the first woman to hold the position.
Bishop Guadalupe began working as a trainee in the church’s social services, and subsequently as an evangelic catechist in the 1980s. From 2003 – 2007, she studied theology at the Universidad Luterana Salvadoreña. Since 2010, she has served as Diaconal Pastoral Coordinator of the ILS. She has previously served as pastor of New Esperanza Church in Nueva Concepción, Chalatenango, as well as vice president of the ILS.
Rev. Christian Chavarría Ayala - Global Companion from El Salvador
Salvadoran Lutheran Pastor and Artist
Christian Chavarría Ayala was born in 1976 in northern El Salvador. He survived the civil war of the 1980s and lived as a refugee with his family for seven years in the Mesa Grande camps in Honduras, and later for three years as a refugee child (alone) in Sweden. He began painting at the age of eight, turning his art into a personal form of healing from the traumas of war. He creates vibrant, colorful wooden crosses in a traditional Salvadoran style. One of his most significant work is the two-meter-high cross “Lund Cross”, he painted for the 2016 Joint Ecumenical Commemoration of the Reformation in Sweden, attended by Pope Francis and leaders of the Lutheran World Federation. This cross is now permanently placed in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. His art has been traveling around the world to more than 136 countries and is held by world leaders, Finland´s president, Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis who was presented with one of his crosses in 2013.
His art reflects Salvadoran cultural traditions from a Christian perspective, expressing the martyred legacy of the Latin American churches, as well as the reconciliation and hope of a suffering people.
At twelve, he encountered the Salvadoran Lutheran Church and was confirmed at thirteen. Since then, he has served faithfully alongside Bishop Medardo Gómez. He studied theology at the Salvadoran Lutheran University and the Seminary of the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod. As a layperson, he founded a new congregation in the mountains of San Vicente in 2012. In August 2019, he was ordained as Presbyter of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church.
Since 2022, Rev. Chavarría has served as Coordinator of the Sister Churches Program of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church. He is currently the pastor of the Resurrection Lutheran Church in San Salvador, appointed by Bishop Medardo Gómez and reaffirmed in 2025 by Bishop Guadalupe Cortez.
Rev. Chavarría has led Salvadoran art workshops in Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the United States, sharing his testimony of faith, speaking against the injustices of war, and inspiring children and youth to live fully in the grace and love of God.
Tia Richardson - Community Muralist & Keynote Speaker
Bio coming soon
Rev. Miguel Gomez-Acosta - Churchwide Representative
Bio coming soon
Things to Know Before You Register
How Are Voting Members Determined?
- 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 must contact the synod office prior to registering. Retired Rostered Ministers do not register as a lay voting member of a congregation. Learn more by visiting the Retired Rostered Minister Voting Information tab below.
- The number of lay voting members your congregation elects depends on the number of baptized members reported on your 2024 congregational report form A. We encourage congregations to choose voting members who will represent a range of age, ethnicity, and gender whenever possible. 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.
- 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).
Registration
Important Dates
April 30, 2026: Final day of early bird pricing
May 1, 2026: Registration prices increase
May 14, 2026: Cancellation deadline (cancellations after this date cannot be refunded)
May 14, 2026 – Advance registration closes (including registrations with childcare)
2026 Registration Fees
Voting Members/Non-voting members: $245 (early bird pricing – register by April 30)/$270 (standard pricing – register May 1 or later.
- Retired Rostered Ministers, Youth, Young Adults:$145 (early bird pricing – register by April 30)/$170 (standard pricing – register May 1 or later)
Walk-in registration ($170/$270) will be available beginning May 29. Meals are not guaranteed for walk-in registrations.
We respectfully request that all registrations (including walk-ins) be paid by May 29, 2026. If you need to make other arrangements, please contact us directly at 414.671.1212.
Retired Rostered Minister Voting Information
In accordance with the bylaw adopted at the 2022 assembly, the number of retired rostered ministers serving as voting members shall not exceed 15% of the retired roster. All other retired ministers rostered in this synod shall be advisory members to the Synod Assembly, with voice, but not vote. The number of retired rostered ministers that can serve as voting members this year is 22.
Retired rostered ministers serving under contract in transitional ministries are automatically granted voting privileges.
Retired rostered ministers who are NOT serving under contract in transitional ministries must contact Mary Romskog (414.671.1212) in the synod office by March 31, 2026 prior to registering. If there are more than 22 retired rostered ministers who express interest in serving as a voting member, we will conduct a vote, allowing you, as the retired rostered ministers, to decide who will be the voting members.
If we reach the limit of retired rostered ministers with voting privileges, additional retired rostered ministers are welcome to register as non-voting members and are allowed to speak on all matters before the assembly.
Childcare
Our childcare room is staffed by a paid and background-checked team of adults. Children must be pre-registered for childcare; we are unable to accommodate children that are not pre-registered. We hire providers based on the number and ages of registered children.
Childcare is available for children 6 weeks through five years old. If you have older children we’ll do our best to provide childcare for them. Please contact the office for details about childcare for older children at 414.671.1212.
Children will have Friday dinner and Saturday lunch in the childcare room. Parents should plan to send their own snacks, diapers, comfort items and shareable toys with their child.
Parents of registered children: Please take a few minutes to fill this form in before you arrive for assembly: Child care form. You will turn this form in to the child care providers.
IMPORTANT!! Our childcare providers have received background checks and they are compensated for their time. If you find you won’t need childcare after registering we would appreciate a phone call.
Simple Agenda
A more detailed agenda will be available closer to the Assembly.
Tuesday, May 26 (pre-Assembly)
6:30 pm – Assembly Orientation via zoom
7:30 pm – Budget Hearing via zoom
Wednesday, May 27 (pre-Assembly)
6:30 pm – Recommended Policies and Procedures for a Safe Community for All of God’s Children
Friday, May 29 (Assembly, Day 1)
2:00 pm – Registration opens
4:00 pm – Plenary 1
5:15 pm – Dinner and Keynote with Tia Richardson
7:00 pm – Worship
Saturday, May 30 (Assembly, Day 2)
7:30 am – Registration opens
8:30 am – Plenary 2
10:00 am – Break
12pm – Lunch
1:15 pm – Plenary 3
2:15 pm – Break
4:00 pm – Sending
Information for Voting Members
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 provide when you register. This includes information for voting during assembly.
If your email address changes or you are not receiving information starting in May, please contact us immediately.
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 Resources to prepare for Assembly section below.
Worship and Offering
Friday, May 29 at 7:00 pm
Brookfield Conference Center
One of the most important things we do at synod assembly work 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. We invite everyone to join us in worship together during synod assembly. It is not necessary to register to attend worship and you do not need to be a voting member of the assembly to attend worship.
Bishop Elias Kitoi Nasari and Bishop Guadalupe Cortéz, along with Bishop Erickson will preside during worship. Pastor Christian Chavarria will lead our musicians in worship.
QR code for offering
Our offering will support the Synod Mural Project. This mural, designed and created by Tia Richardson will be installed at The Table. We are grateful to Ascension Lutheran Church in Milwaukee for providing space for this mural to come to life.
Learn more about our global companions and Tia Richardson above in the Special Guests information.
Dinner Tickets and Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker: Tia Richardson
2026 will be the year of Collaboration in the synod, focusing on the fourth of our synod’s core values. One of the ways we will be exploring this theme is through the design and production of a synod mural led by Tia Richardson and we are delighted to welcome her as our keynote speaker for Synod Assembly.
Tia Richardson
Tia Richardson is an integrative community artist, focusing her efforts as an artist-in-residence for schools, community organizations, places of worship, and nonprofits. As an integrated community artist, she facilitates holistic visual arts programs (e.g. book-making, illustration, story-writing, community-led murals) for youth and adults using a team-building framework. She often incorporates therapeutic techniques such as group rhythm, son, movement, and visual arts; as well as restorative practices like talking circles.
Tia has a certification in Trauma-Informed Care from First Aid Arts and has worked with and in a variety of settings, including public schools, social services agencies, neighborhood organizations, the juvenile justice system, after-care centers, and grassroots collectives. Her project themes have ranged from creative community empowerment to positive self-esteem to environmental awareness and academics. Learn more at cosmic-butterfly.com.
Display Tables
As of April 27th our display tables are full and we are not able to accept any additional requests or any walk-in displays. A list of display tables is included below.
- Rev. Carol Jeunnette: Family Systems in Ministry
- Cosmic Butterfly Designs
- El Salvador Partnership
- ELCA Chaplain Corps & Specialized Ministry
- ELCA Church Property Resource Hub
- ELCA World Hunger
- ELEA – ELCA Schools and Learning Centers
- Global Refuge
- Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
- Lutheran Social Services
- Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
- Luther Manor
- Lutheran Campus Ministry
- Lutherdale Bible Camp
- Meru Partnership
- Mt. Meru Coffee Project
- Outreach for Hope
- Portico Benefits
- Racial Equity and Justice Team
- Reconciling in Christ
- Sumud/Wisconsin Christians for Justice in Palestine
- Thrivent Financial
- Wartburg Seminary
The fee for a display table is $160 and includes meals for one person. Electricity is included in this fee. Table space is limited. If you register after our available space is filled, we will notify you and refund any registration fee you have paid. Our registration deadline for displays is April 30. We are not able to accommodate walk-in registrations for displays.
Here is some helpful information on the different ways display tables cover staffing and the table fee:
one person working the table for the full event requires one registration.
two or more people covering a table for the full event (all present at the same time) requires separate registrations for each person.
two or more people covering a table with only one person present at any time requires only one registration. Please contact us to assist you with this registration at 414.671.1212.
Resources to Prepare for Assembly
Promo Materials for Congregations
Detailed Agenda
A detailed agenda will be made available in the coming months.
Assembly Rules
The Greater Milwaukee Synod Council recommends to the Synod Assembly the following Rules and Procedures for 2026. These will be formalized by the assembly at the first plenary session, but will be followed prior to that action.
Nomination and Open Positions
Open positions for nominations are listed below. Use this fillable pdf or our online form to submit a nomination form.
Please note: Gender non-binary or gender non-conforming people can be nominated to serve in any roles designated for gendered representation.
Discipline Committee
The role of the discipline 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 Male (full term 9/1/2026 – 8/31/2032)
- At Large, Lay Female (full term 9/1/2026 – 8/31/2032)
- At Large, Rostered Minister (full term 9/1/2026 – 8/31/2032)
- At Large, Rostered Minister (full term 9/1/2026 – 8/31/2032)
Resolutions
As of April 1, 2026 we have not received any resolutions.
The deadline to submit a resolution is March 31, 2026. When a resolution is submitted it will be reviewed and then added to this page.
Learn more about resolutions and memorials – what they are, how to write them and more – in this guide and this flowchart.
Reports
Transportation, Meals, and Facility Information
Brookfield Conference Center
The Brookfield Conference Center, 325 S Moorland Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005, is the location of our annual assembly in 2025. This conference facility is located just off 1-94 near Brookfield Square Mall. Ample parking is available right outside the venue.
Public Transportation
Public transportation is available from Milwaukee. Learn more about the bus route and transfers here.
Additional Information
Dress in Layers: Conference facilities can vary greatly in temperature and you will be more comfortable if you dress in layers.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi will be available during the assembly. You will find log-in information on each table and in your conference materials.
Friday Dinner: On Friday evening we offer a choice of a chicken or vegetarian entree. You will find a dinner ticket tucked in the middle of the name badge holder that notes your dinner choice. Place your meal ticket on the table in front of after the conclusion of Plenary 1. If you shared information about an allergy or dietary restriction that requires a special meal, you will have a red colored ticket. Be sure to confirm with the server that you are receiving the correct meal.
Saturday Meals: We have a light continental breakfast buffet featuring juice, house-made pastries, sliced breakfast breads, muffins, coffee, tea, and water scheduled for 7:30 am. Lunch is a soup, salad, and sandwich buffet. In addition, two snack breaks are offered – one in the morning and another in the afternoon.
Restrooms: The primary set of restrooms is located past the display tables on the west end of the building. An all-gender restroom is available on the east end of the building. There is also a private space for nursing mothers.
Childcare: Our childcare room is staffed by a paid and background-checked team of adults. Children must be pre-registered for childcare; we are unable to accommodate children that are not pre-registered. We hire providers based on the number and ages of registered children. Children will have Friday dinner and Saturday lunch in the childcare room. Parents should plan to send their own snacks, diapers, comfort items, and shareable toys with their child.
Electronic Devices: You are encouraged and welcome to bring your electronic devices along to access documents needed for the assembly. Please do not bring extension cords with you. We will have a charging station near the back of the room if you need to charge your device. Extension cords are a tripping hazard and will be removed.
