Pre-Assembly Materials

Pre-assembly materials will be published via the Assembly webpage on Wednesday May 4, 2022.

Please note that printed assembly books will not be offered this year – congregations should work with their voting members to ensure they can access the pre-assembly materials.

Covid Protocols

The Synod Council has every intention to hold an in-person Assembly. Covid protocols will be determined in conjunction with university event staff and shared with voting members as promptly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this.

Congregations are encouraged to have several alternate voting members ready in case their voting members are not comfortable attending an in-person assembly.

On-Site Accommodations

Overnight accommodations in university housing will not be available this year. Click here to see options.

Vendor/Display Tables

Vendor/display tables will not be available this year.

How to Determine a Congregation’s Voting Members

A congregation’s Assembly voting members can be determined by the following formula:

Please note:

• A congregation’s called Rostered Ministers (pastor and deacon) are not included in the above formula.
• A congregation with a Synodically Authorized Minister may have an additional lay voting member provided that additional lay voting member is their Synodically Authorized Minister. According to constitutional provisions, Synodically Authorized Ministers are not considered Rostered Ministers.
• Retired rostered ministers not otherwise serving a congregation may be voting members provided they register and attend the Assembly.
• Congregations are encouraged to have several alternates available in case their voting members are not able to attend an in-person assembly.

Nominating Process for Synod Council and Committees

The members of the synod’s Nominating Committee include:

• Pastor Doris Mars (St John Findlay) – dharrismars@aol.com
• Tom Ritter (St Mark’s Toledo) – tritter1957@gmail.com
• Pastor Chris Young (St. John Port Clinton) – pastorclyoung@yahoo.com
• Pastor Matt Wheeler (St John Fremont) – matthew.wheeler612@yahoo.com
• Karen Genzmen (Peace Galion) – kgenzman@yahoo.com
• Jari Nicole Knowlton Simard (Salem Toledo)
• Diane Ninke (Zoar Perrysburg) – dkninke@gmail.com
• Pastor Doug Pretorious (St Marks Wapakoneta)

The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of nominees for consideration by the Synod Assembly. Please contact a committee member before April 8, 2022, if you would like to be considered for nomination to any of the below positions.

(Contact info for Nominating Committee members will be uploaded soon, once committee members confirm their preferred contact information)

Please note that any nomination not included on the Nominating Committee’s Slate of Nominees as included in the pre-assembly packet of information, will need to be a floor nomination. Floor nominees will be given the opportunity during the assembly to fill out a nominee bio form and once completed, the nominee bio will be made available to the assembly. Floor nominations may be made during the assembly meeting on Friday June 3, prior to the close of nominations.

Please note that the Nominating Committee is not involved with the bishop election process – the Bishop Election Committee oversees the process for election of a synod bishop.

Synod Council/Committees Positions

The following positions to synod council/committees are open for election to terms beginning in 2022:

Synod Officer
Vice-President, (4yr term 2022-26)

Synod Council (3yr terms)
Toledo Rostered Minister (2022-25)
Maumee Valley Lay (2022-25)
Youth/Young Adult (under age 30) (2022-25)
At Large Lay (2022-25)
Southwest Lay (2022-25)
Eastern Lay (2022-25)

Consultation Committee (6yr terms)
At Large Lay (2022-28)
At Large Rostered Minister (2022-28)

Discipline Committee (6yr terms)
At Large Lay (2022-28)
At Large Rostered Minister (2022-28)

Nominating Committee (3yr terms – slate of nominees prepared by Synod Council)
Toledo (2022-25)
Central (2022-25)
At Large (2022-25)

ELCA Church Council
Male Nominee to be voted on at 2022 CWA

The following positions to synod council/committees are open for election to terms beginning in 2023:

Synod Council (3yr terms)
Central Lay (2023-26)
Maumee Valley Rostered Minister (2023-26)
Eastern Rostered Minister (2023-26)
Southeast Rostered Minister (2023-26)
Toledo Lay (2023-26)
At Large Lay (2023-26)

Consultation Committee (6yr terms)
At Large Rostered Minister (2023-29)
At Large Lay (2023-29)

Discipline Committee
At Large Lay (2023-29)
At Large Rostered Minister (2023-29)

Nominating Committee (3yr terms – slate of nominees prepared by Synod Council)
Maumee Valley (2023-26)
Eastern (2023-26)
At Large (2023-26)

Resolutions and Memorials

Resolutions and Memorials may be submitted by completing the form below and submitting to assembly@nwos-elca.org The due date for resolutions is April 8, 2022.

Download Word Document

Once received, the Synod Council will work with the resolution authors to ensure the resolution is in order and will be included in the pre-assembly materials.

Resolutions submitted after the due date will only be accepted as resolutions from the floor (during the Assembly meeting) provided that the Assembly’s adopted Rules and Procedures allow them, and/or the Assembly otherwise acts to allow submission of resolutions from the floor.

Questions?

Please any questions you may have about 2022 Northwestern Ohio Synod Assembly to assembly@nwos-elca.org or by calling our office and leaving your question in the general mailbox 419-423-3664.