2025 Southern Ohio Synod Assembly

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2025 Southern Ohio Synod Assembly
June 6-7, 2025

 

Africa Event Center
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

4850 W. Olentangy Street
Powell, OH 43065

 

The Southern Ohio Synod will gather in Assembly at the Africa Event Center at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (Powell, OH) on Friday, June 6, 2025 through Saturday, June 7, 2025 under the theme Anchored in Christ. Freed to Serve.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20, NRSV)

This year’s assembly will be held in person for all voting members and visitors.

 

Churchwide Representative: Deacon Mary Ann Schwabe, ELCA Executive for Synod Relations
Parliamentarians: Rev. Craig Richter & Mr. Tim Skamfer


 

Registration

Registration will open on March 1, 2025.

All Voting members must register before arriving. There will be no on-site registration.

 

Early Bird Registration will be from March 1 – April 15th, 2025.

Regular Registration will be from April 16, 2025 – May 9, 2025.

There will be no registrations accepted after May 9, 2025, online or on-site.

 

Cost

Early Bird Cost: $295/person

Regular Registration Cost: $360/person

Note: This does not include the cost for housing.

 

Voting Members

Every Rostered Minister currently on the Southern Ohio Synod Roster is eligible to attend Assembly as a voting member.

 

Additionally, each congregation is eligible to send 2 voting members.

  • Congregations exceeding 750 baptized members, 500 confirmed members, and 250 worshippers shall receive one additional lay voting member at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.
  • Congregations exceeding 1500 baptized members, 1000 confirmed members, and 500 worshippers shall receive two additional lay voting members (one male and one female) at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.
  • Congregations exceeding 2250 baptized members, 1500 confirmed members, and 750 worshippers shall receive three additional lay voting members (at least one of a different gender) at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.

 

Special considerations for the ELCA Campus Ministries within the Southern Ohio Synod:

  • The recognized Campus Ministry Sites within this synod may each elect from among its baptized participants not more than two lay voting members to the Synod Assembly. The persons elected under this section shall, when possible, include persons of different genders, and shall not have attained the age of thirty (30) years at the time of the said Synod Assembly

A note on Credentialing:

Constitutionally, we are required to ensure that at least 60% of our voting members are lay members and up to 40% are Rostered Ministers (Chapter 7 on the Southern Ohio Synod Constitution, Bylaws, & Continuing Resolutions). Historically, we have met this ratio, without issue.

If our ratio of lay voting members and Rostered Minister voting members is not in alignment with our Constitution, lay voting members and active Rostered Ministers will retain their status as voting members; Retired Rostered ministers will notThis will be done as a block, not based on the time of arrival or check-in.


Housing

Housing must be secured on your own. The Southern Ohio Synod has not secured a hotel block for this assembly.

The following hotels are near the Assembly location and represent a variety of price points:

  1. Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/Dublin (6.3 miles from Assembly location)
  2. Drury Inn & Suites Columbus Dublin (7.5 miles from Assembly location)
  3. Home2Suites by Hilton Columbus Dublin (6.2 miles from Assembly location)
  4. Courtyard by Marriott Columbus Dublin (6.1 miles from Assembly location)
  5. Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbus Dublin (6.2 miles from Assembly location)
  6. Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU (17.5 miles from Assembly location)
  7. Best Western Hilliard Inn & Suites (13.3 miles from Assembly location)

Schedule

This year’s Assembly will run from Friday afternoon through Saturday late afternoon. Please make sure to eat lunch before you arrive on Friday!

A more detailed schedule will be included with the full assembly documents, which will be available in Spring 2025.

 

Note: On-site check-in will begin at 11 AM on Friday. Check-in will close promptly at 12:50 PM and will remain closed until after the Nominating Ballot for Bishop. The 1st Ballot for Bishop will begin promptly at 1 PM on Friday, June 7. You must be checked-in on site in order to vote.


Nominations & Elections

At this assembly, we will be holding a variety of elections for several positions.

  • Southern Ohio Synod Council
    • Central Ohio Conference – Lay
    • Central Ohio Conference – Rostered Minister
    • Dayton Conference – Lay
    • Muskingum Conference -Lay
    • Scioto Conference – Lay
    • At-Large Member – Lay (2 seats)
    • At-Large Member – Rostered Minister

Please click here to download the Biographical Information form for the Synod Council positions.

  • Consultation Committee
    The members of the Consultation Committee are available to assist the Bishop in the adjudication of disputes between, among, and within congregations who appeal to the Synod’s Bishop for assistance, at the Bishop’s discretion. Each position is for a 6-year, non-renewable term.

    • 3 Lay
    • 3 Rostered Minister

 

  • Discipline Committee
    The members of the Committee on Discipline are available to assist the Bishop in overseeing disciplinary processes in cases of accusations of serious misconduct by rostered ministers, congregations, or members. Each position is for a 6-year, non-renewable term.

    • 6 Lay
    • 6 Rostered Minister
Please click here to download the Biographical Information form for the Consultation or Discipline Committee positions.

Nominations are open until April 1, 2025.


A few notes:

  • Individuals may nominate themselves for a position
  • Individuals may run for more than one position. Please complete a biographical form for each position.

Completed forms should be emailed to Ms. Michelle Riesbeck, Nominations.

For questions about the nominations process please contact Ms. Michelle Riesbeck, Nominations, Pr. Rebecca Grate & Ethan Roberts, Elections.


Bishop Election

One of the largest items on this year’s Assembly agenda is the Bishop Election.

We are delighted to welcome Deacon Mary Ann Schwabe, ELCA Executive for Synod Relations, to be our Churchwide Representative and who will certify the results of our Bishop election.

Pre-identification of individuals who have discerned that they are open to being nominated to be on the ballot for Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod is open now. The pre-identification process will close on March 15, 2025.
A few notes on the pre-identification process:

  • Any Rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament, currently in good standing, is eligible to be pre-identified.
  • Biographical forms for the individuals submitted during this pre-identification period will be distributed with the Assembly Materials packet
  • Pre-identification does not equal nomination. In order to officially be nominated, the to be placed on the ballot for Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod, your name must be submitted on the nominating ballot even if you have submitted your name during the pre-identification window.

The pre-identification form will be available by February 15, 2025!

The nominating ballot will occur during the first plenary session on Friday, June 6, 2025. When the agenda is finalized, we will be announce more specific timing. In order to vote in the nominating ballot, voting members must:

  1. Register for Synod Assembly
  2. Check-in on-site before on-site check-in closes (Timing will be announced with the full agenda)
  3. Be present in the Assembly Hall during the Nominating Ballot

For questions about the Bishop election process, please contact Mr. Chris Clothier, Vice-President, or Pr. Rebecca Grate & Ethan Roberts, Elections.


Assembly Materials

The Full Assembly Materials packet will be available in Spring 2025.

 

Materials will not be printed for voting members. Please bring a device to view the materials during the Assembly, by WiFi or cell network.


Resolutions & Memorials

Due: March 15, 2025

If you have questions about the process for submitting Resolutions or Memorials, please contact Pr. Bob Abrams.


PreAssembly Gatherings

We will be holding 2 PreAssembly Zoom Gatherings to walk through some of the content in advance of this year’s Synod Assembly. Voting members, please plan to attend one of these sessions:

Monday, May 12, 2025
Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Both sessions will be held from 6:30 – 8 PM.

Voting members will receive the Zoom information via email closer to these dates.


We are looking forward to seeing you at Assembly!

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Joshua Brodbeck.