Synod Assembly 2025
Details
- Start:
- May 29
- End:
- May 31
- Event Categories:
- Large Event, Synod Sponsored
2025 Synod Assembly: God Is Calling ...
The 2025 NC Synod Assembly is set for Thursday - Saturday, May 29 - 31, 2025.
Each May, the North Carolina Synod comes together for a time of worship, learning, and fellowship. Every other year, this gathering also includes conducting important synod business. Voting members selected from each congregation join pastors and deacons to make key decisions, including approving the budget, electing synod council members, and, this year, selecting a new bishop.
Late registration is open until May 15.
Details
DATES:
Thursday, May 29 - Saturday, May 31, 2025
LOCATION:
Koury Convention Center
3121 W Gate City Blvd
Greensboro, NC 27407
HOTEL:
Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel
Key Dates
Early Registration: March 26
Regular Registration: April 16
Late Registration: May 15
There will be no onsite registration. Please register by May 15.
Pricing
Voting Members—
Early Registration (by March 26): $250
Regular Registration (by April 16): $300
Late Registration (by May 15): $350
Guests—
Guest w/ No Meals: $100
Guest w/ Meals: $175*
Guest w/ Meals: $175*
*Meals include breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday.
There will be no onsite registration. If you do not know your lay voting members, but want to lock in an early bird price, you can simply register a leader and then fill out a name change form when they are confirmed.
Hotel—
The hotel rate is $147/night for the NC Synod Block. Use this link for the hotel block to access this rate.
Retired rostered ministers can attend synod assembly as either a voting member or a guest.
Voting Member: register as a voting member. Retired rostered ministers qualify to register as voting members by being rostered* in North Carolina; and therefore, do not need to be included in a count of voting members from a congregation.
Retired rostered ministers should NOT serve as voting members of their congregation. The synod constitution requires that at least 60% of the total voting membership at the assembly be lay people. To meet this requirement, each congregation must send their designated number of lay voting members.
Guest: A retired rostered minister may choose to register as a guest. If registered as a guest, you will not be able to vote.
[*If you are not rostered in the NC Synod, you will need to attend as a Guest.]
The bishop of this synod shall be elected to a term of six years.
The Bishop’s Transition Committee, chaired by Deacon Tammy Jones West, will manage pieces of the transition from one bishop to the next, including a celebration of Bishop Smith's ministry and the installation of the newly-elected bishop.
The Bishop’s Election Committee, co-chaired by Pastor Josh Copeland and Allison Runge, will manage the particulars of the bishop’s election at the 2025 NC Synod Assembly. The guidelines for the election of a bishop are much different than the other elections that will take place; those will be managed by the Assembly Elections Committee.
Who do you contact with specific questions?
Nominations—Pastor Phil Tonnesen
Resolutions—Deacon Wendy Roberts
Pre-Assembly—Pastor Cassie Overcash
Hotel, meals, special accommodations—Lexi Barnhill
General assembly questions—Deacon Tammy Jones West
Assembly Hearings
The synod's Compensation Guidelines team and Finance team will each hold a hearing via Zoom to answer any questions about:
- the changes to the Compensation Guidelines for 2026 and 2027, and
- the proposed budgets for the coming two years (2026 and 2027).
The Zoom link has been sent to all registered voting members. Please check your inbox or, if you were registered initially without contact info, check with the person who registered you. Questions? Email Catherine Fink.
Bishop's Election
The bishop’s election process is overseen by the NC Synod Council along with the ELCA Office of the Secretary and ELCA Presiding Bishop. As a key step in our discernment, members of the North Carolina Synod contributed to a Ministry Site Profile (MSP)—a snapshot of the synod’s life now, naming the synod’s hopes and dreams for the future, and noting gifts needed in a bishop.
Biographical information for the top 7 candidates (and ties) will be published here by 10:30 am on Friday, May 30.
Nominated Candidate Forms
Nominated candidates who choose to keep their names in for the second ballot should submit the bio and disclosure forms by 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 30.
Assembly Agenda
Thursday, May 29
9 a.m. - Noon Pre-Assembly
Noon Check-in Opens
2 p.m. Assembly Begins with Opening Worship
3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Session One
5 - 6:15 p.m. Session Two
Friday, May 30
8:30 - 10:00 am Session Three
10 – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 – Noon Session Four
Noon - 1:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Session Five
3:30 - 4 p.m. Break
4-5:30 p.m. Session Six
6 p.m. Dinner on Your Own
7:30 p.m. Celebration & Reception for Bishop Tim and VP Diana Haywood
Saturday, May 31
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Session Seven
10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Break/Hotel Check-Out
10:45 a.m. - Noon Session Eight
Noon - 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. - 3 p.m. Session Nine
Pre-Assembly
This year’s pre-assembly event will be led by Pastors Ray & Ruth Ann Sipe, directors of Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas.
It will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Thursday, May 29, at Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Participants will learn about disaster preparation, response, and recovery including participation in an immersion experience. Cost is $30.
If you are attending Synod Assembly, registration for Pre-Assembly is included on the Synod Assembly registration form. If you plan only to attend Pre-Assembly, please use this Pre-Assembly only registration.
A word of caution. The disaster simulation may be troubling for those who have recently experienced a disaster in their own community, especially in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. If you have questions, please contact Ruth Ann Sipe.
Pre-Assembly 2018
General Information
2025 Voting Member Change Form
This form is ONLY for use if you have already registered your Voting Members at Assembly and need to make a change. The synod office will make the change in our system once we receive the request. Your replacement voting member MUST have the same status as the member you are replacing. (EX. A lay voting member cannot replace a Rostered Minister or vice versa.) If you have any questions regarding your change, please email Lexi Barnhill or call the office at 704-680-9569.
Visit LinkAssembly Elections
This year the assembly will elect a Bishop, Synod Vice President, Synod Secretary, Discipline Committee members, and members of Synod Council. The 2025 Nominations Committee will accept floor nominations for the Discipline Committee and Synod Council through Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Floor nominations at assembly may only be made for Synod Vice President and Synod Secretary.
Floor Nomination Form
The 2025 Nominations Committee will accept floor nominations—which may only be made by registered 2025 Synod Assembly Voting Members—for Discipline Committee members and Synod Council members through Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Floor nominations for the positions of Synod Vice President or Synod Secretary will be accepted during the assembly at Greensboro.
Assembly Resolutions
Resolutions and memorials are reviewed by the Reference and Counsel Committee.
2025 Synod Assembly Resolution_25-01
This resolution, NC25.01, “Resolution on Refugee Resettlement,” will be considered by the assembly.
View DocumentAssembly Financials
Information concerning the NC Synod audit, proposed 2026 and 2027 budgets, proposed Mission Support formula, and proposed Compensation Guidelines are assembled by the synod staff and Synod Council Finance Committee and approved for an Assembly vote. These documents will all be available on the assembly webpage in April following the March Synod Council meeting.
2027 NC Synod Compensation Guidelines—Proposed
These are the proposed 2027 Compensation Guidelines.
View Document2026 NC Synod Compensation Guidelines—Proposed
These are the proposed 2026 Compensation Guidelines.
View Document2026-27 Proposed Mission Support Formula
This is the proposed Mission Support Formula for 2026-2027.
View Document