2026 WND Synod Assembly

Rough Rider Center, Watford City, ND

May 29 - 31, 2026



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Voting Member Information

Resolutions & Elections

RESOLUTIONS AND MEMORIALS FOR ASSEMBLY CONSIDERATION

  • Memorial #1 - To Authorize the Presiding Bishop's Foreward to Social Statements and Social Messages

    Memorial #1 recommends  that the 2026 Western North Dakota Synod Assembly 

    memorializes the 2028 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to authorize the presiding bishop to prepare a foreword to each social statement of this Church. The presiding bishop’s foreword shall summarize the role and especially the 

    limitations of social statements in the life of this Church, based on Church in Society: A 

    Lutheran Perspective and other pastoral concerns, and shall be signed by the presiding bishop. The presiding bishop may prepare a single foreword for all social statements or individual forewords for specific social statements, at the presiding bishop’s sole discretion.  And that the 2028 Churchwide Assembly designate the presiding bishop’s foreword(s) as solely the work of the presiding bishop such that no foreword or subsequent revisions to a foreword shall require approval of a Churchwide Assembly.   

    First and Trinity Lutheran Parish, Tioga, ND initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee takes NO POSITION on Memorial #1, believing it should be considered by the Synod Assembly.

    Click to View Memorial #1

  • Memorial #2 - Superimposed Quotas

    Memorial #2 recommends  that the 2026 Western North Dakota Synod Assembly 

    memorializes the 2028 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to direct the Church Council to conduct a systematic review of ELCA quota systems, seeking to eliminate superimposed mandatory quotas that are not directly relevant to the task at hand and 

    that the 2028 Churchwide Assembly direct the Church Council to report recommended constitutional changes to the 2031 Churchwide Assembly.  

    First and Trinity Lutheran Parish, Tioga, ND initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee takes NO POSITION on Memorial #2, believing it should be considered by the Synod Assembly.

    Click to View Memorial #2

  • Resolution #1 - 2026 Ministry Financial Plan

    Resolution #1 is the 2026 Ministry Financial Plan, which would finance the mission and ministry of the Synod. The Synod Council initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee recommends DO PASS on Resolution #1. 

    Click to View Resolution #1

  • Resolution #2 - 2026 Rostered Minister Compensation Guidelines

    Resolution #2 is the 2026 Rostered Minister Compensation Guidelines. The Synod Council initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee recommends DO PASS on Resolution #2. 

    Click to View Resolution #2

  • Resolution #3 - Proposed Amendments to the WND Synod Constitution

    Resolution #3 contains proposed amendments to the WND Synod Constitution. The Synod Council initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee recommends DO PASS on Resolution #3. 

    Click to View Resolution #3

  • Resolution #4 - Forgoing Churchwide Assembly Approval of Social Statements

     Resolution #4 is a request for formal review of the process for developing social statements and specifically to reconsider the practice of having Churchwide Assemblies approve social statements, recognizing that individual members, pastors, bishops, and other expressions 

    of the Church will remain entirely free to address social issues as led by Scripture and the Holy Spirit and that the letter include a request that the Church Council consider having those who prepare social statements and social messages sign them, thereby increasing transparency, and add information identifying those responsible for maintaining the documents.


    First and Trinity Lutheran Parish, Tioga, ND initiated the resolution. 


    The Western North Dakota Synod Reference & Counsel Committee takes NO POSITION on Resolution #4, believing it should be considered by the Synod Assembly.

    Click to View Resolution #4

ELECTION OF BISHOP FOR THE WND SYNOD

OTHER ELECTIONS & BALLOTS

REPORTS TO THE ASSEMBLY

SYNOD MINISTRY REPORTS

PARTNER MINISTRY REPORTS

OFFERING & WORSHIP

Worship

Offerings received during Opening Worship on Friday evening and Closing Worship on Sunday morning will be shared with our Global Companion Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Central African Republic (ELCRCA) and with ELCA World Hunger in celebration of the 50th anniversary of this ministry.

M&Ms & Giving to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of C.A.R.   (ELC-RCA)

Find out how your local congregation can support a mission project in the ELC-RCA.  Contact Matthew to reserve M&M tubes for your church, made available by a grant from Good Shepherd in Bismarck.  See the synod CAR page for more details.  If your church already did fundraising, bring a check to Lesley at registration or it can be included with a mailed mission support check.

Saturday Evening Banquet

During the Saturday evening banquet, a special offering will be received to support the ministry of our four Outdoor Ministries - Springbrook Bible Camp, Badlands Ministries, Camp of the Cross, and Metigoshe Ministries.

WORSHIP BULLETINS

Rules of the Assembly

Rostered Ministers

All ELCA Rostered Ministers (pastors and deacons) under call by a congregation of the Western North Dakota Synod or Western North Dakota Synod Council who register and attend may vote.
 

All retired ELCA Rostered Ministers (pastors and deacons) who are on the retired roster of the Western North Dakota Synod who register and attend may vote.


Further guidance for Rostered Ministers serving as voting members of the Synod Assembly is found in the WND Synod Constitution and related Synod Council Continuing Resolutions.


S14.15.  Each minister of Word and Sacrament on the roster of this synod shall submit a report of ministry to the bishop of the synod at least 90 days prior to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.

S14.15.A23.  A minister of Word and Sacrament on the roster of this synod may have voice but not vote at a Synod Assembly if the minister has not complied with S14.15.


S14.34.  Each minister of Word and Service on the roster of this synod shall submit a report of ministry to the bishop of the synod at least 90 days prior to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.

S14.34.A23.  A minister of Word and Service on the roster of this synod may have voice but not vote at a Synod Assembly if the minister has not complied with S14.34. 

Lay Voting Members

The number of lay voting members allotted per congregation is based on the congregations’ baptized membership. Refer to the chart at the right to determine the number of lay voting members your congregation may bring.


Furthermore, the WND Synod Constitution guides voting membership of a Synod Assembly.


†S7.21. The membership of the Synod Assembly, of which at least 60 percent of the voting membership shall be composed of laypersons, shall be constituted as follows:

a. All rostered ministers under call on the roster of this synod shall be voting members of the Synod Assembly.

b. A minimum of one lay member elected by each congregation with fewer than 175 baptized members and a minimum of two lay members elected by each congregation with 175 or more baptized members related to this synod, typically one of whom shall be a man and one of whom shall be a woman, shall be voting members. The Synod Council shall establish a formula to provide additional lay representation from congregations on the basis of the number of baptized members in the congregation. The Synod Council shall seek to ensure that, as nearly as possible, at least 45 percent of the lay members of the assembly shall be women and, as nearly as possible, at least 45 percent shall be men.

c. Voting membership shall include the officers of this synod.

S7.21.01. Voting members shall begin serving with the opening of a regular Synod Assembly and shall continue serving until voting members are seated at the next regular Synod Assembly.


†7.21.02. If a special Synod Assembly is called and voting members at the previous assembly are unable to serve as voting members, where permitted by state law, the congregation through the Congregation Council may elect new members who shall continue to serve until the next regular Synod Assembly.


S7.22. This synod may establish processes that permit retired rostered ministers, or those designated as disabled, or on leave from call, on the roster of the synod to serve as voting members of the Synod Assembly, provided that such processes not result in fewer than 60% of the voting members of the Synod Assembly being laypersons in contravention of †S7.21.c. If the synod does not establish processes to permit the rostered ministers specified above to serve as voting members, they shall have voice but not vote in the meetings of the Synod Assembly.

S7.22.A20. The following individuals shall have voice and vote at a Synod Assembly:

a. Retired rostered ministers.

b. Interim ministers of Word and Sacrament serving a synod congregation.

c. Representatives of a synod authorized worshiping community (SAWC).

d. A minister of Word and Sacrament from a full communion church body serving in a synod congregation.

Baptized Membership Lay Voting Members
2 - 500 2
501 - 1000 3
1001 - 1500 4
1501 - 2000 5
2001 - 2500 6
2501 - 3000 7
3001 - 3500 8
3501 - 4000 9
4001 - 4500 10
4501 - 5000 11