SALISBURY ó Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will gather June 2ń4 from across North Carolina for their annual synod assembly. Over 600 members and guests of the North Carolina Synod of the ELCA, representing over 200 congregations, will meet on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory.
The theme of the assembly is ěEmpowered & Equipped for Mission.î
ěDuring the assembly we will be walking together in prayer and support with our ELCA partner synod, the Central States Synod,î said the Rev. Dr. Leonard H. Bolick, bishop of the NC Synod ELCA. ěAreas devastated by recent tornados … are located within its borders. Peace Lutheran Church of Joplin was completely destroyed.î An offering collected will go to disaster relief in central states.
Assembly keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. James Thomas, the associate professor of Church and Ministry and director of African American Ministries at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, S.C. The Rev. Dr. Wyvetta Bullock of Chicago will represent the presiding bishop of the ELCA. .
Offering ěMission Momentsî are special assembly guests: the Rev. Justin Eller and his wife Kari, missionaries to Bolivia; Martin and the Rev. Suzanne Shoffner, who work for ELCA Global Missions in Jerusalem; and Nicolette Filson, who is preparing for mission work in la Igelesia Luterana Costarricense, the Costa Rican Lutheran Church, which is one of the NC Synod’s companion synods.
The assembly begins and ends with worship and the public is invited to participate. It starts at 1 p.m.Thursday in P.E. Monroe Auditorium. Friday evening worship is at 7 p.m. Saturday morning closing worship will begin after any remaining synod business, which would be approximately 10:30.
Thursday evening and Friday afternoon educational forums will cover 34 topics.
Visitors are welcome to the assembly. The agenda, the list and locations of educational forums, directions, and additional information are posted at www.nclutheran.org.