Lutheran Church of Mahomet, The Invitation Summer Newsletter 2017 | Page 5

Synod Assembly
Each year, rostered leaders and lay peo-
ple gather as a regional synod to worship
together, pass resolutions, approve budg-
ets, hear special keynote presentations,
and participate in focuses learning ses-
sions. This year, our Central/Southern Illi-
nois Synod gathered in Collinsville, IL.
We engaged in the usual assembly busi-
ness, and we also elected Bishop S John
Roth to a second term as bishop of our
synod. We at the Lutheran Church of Ma-
homet wish him well in his coming six-
year term: we shall pray for him and the
synodical staff and invite their collabora-
tion with ministries important to us.
The 2017 C/S IL Synod Assembly was
particularly exciting, and I could feel the
Holy Spirit moving evidently. There were
a lot of emotional ups and downs for
those gathered as our synod engaged
difficult conversations regarding various
issues facing our worshipping communi-
ties. Though the official agenda for the
assembly looks rather bland and similar
to every other year, the Holy Spirit moved
those assembled to have informal
June 1-3
Colinsville, IL
conversations about topics typically pi-
geonholed as political but which in fact
deeply implicate our faith. We talked
about systemic racism, climate change,
LGBT+ and women’s rights, incarceration,
health care, immigration rights, and more.
The congregations across our synod have
found that these issues intersect with our
calling to love God, our neighbor, and the
world God made; and so, many worship-
ping communities in the ELCA are actively
wrestling with having these conversations
from a place of faith, respect, and love.
The Lutheran Church of Mahomet will do
its part to participate in these conversa-
tions, also. Though some of these issues
will bring about emotionally charged dis-
cussion or uncomfortable honesty, we are
nonetheless called to engage wholly and
faithfully. If the synod assembly has com-
municated anything, it was that we have a
responsibility to have these conversations
amongst ourselves, our colleagues around
the synod, and with all those with whom
we interact. In our grace-filled relation-
ship with God, we are empowered to