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Synod Assembly Summary
This past week was our annual Metro DC Synod assembly. We (Paddy Sutherlin, Carter Buschman, Marit Majeske and me) spent two full days at the University of Maryland Global Campus Conference Center in College Park.
What did we accomplish? A lot, actually. Aside from the annual business meeting items (budget for 2026, Compensation guidelines, reports from principals) we elected a new bishop who will start in September using the ecclesial ballot process.
Similar to the process the Roman Catholic Church uses to select a new pope (but without the smoke, the isolation of voting members, and the silence of candidates). Beginning with a first ballot where any Rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA can be nominated, 52 names were offered. Since none of these received 75% of the votes cast, a second ballot was held - after all whose names were entered but who did not “discern” a call to serve as bishop petitioned to have their names removed. This left 11 candidates on this second ballot.
From there, again with no one name receiving 75% of the votes, the field was narrowed to the top 7 candidates. Friday evening, each of the seven were given three minutes to introduce themselves and their sense of call to the assembly. at the end of the evening, a third ballot was held. Before adjourning, we were told that no one had received the requisite 66% of the votes and the field was again narrowed to the top 3 vote getters. Biographies were distributed for reading overnight.
In the morning, over breakfast, three breakouts, consisting of the voting members of two conferences of the synod each, met to develop a list of questions for the bishop candidates that were derived from the conferences’ context. After some business time, the three groups again gathered in separate spaces and each candidate had twenty-five minutes to address the conferences and answer the questions posed.
Breaking for lunch, we assembled again and held a fourth ballot with the three names. Here 60% of the vote was needed to be elected. The Rev. Dr. Phillip Hirsch received 64% of the vote and was declared the new bishop-elect.
Pastor Hirsch is currently serving as the Executive for Christian Community and Leadership in the ELCA Churchwide Office. Previously, he served as Assistant to the Bishop of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod and prior to that served as the pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairfax, VA and an inner-city Lutheran church in Camden, NJ. He is a graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He begins his term of office on September 1, 2025. His installation as bishop will be in November.
In addition, the assembly heard and debated on various resolutions concerning Greetings to other synods meeting at the same time as Metro DC as well as to other ecumenical church bodies; ratifying or approving changes to the synod constitution and bylaws regarding the Seal of the synod, the ability to hold hybrid assemblies in the future, and removing the Gifts of Hope program from synod council oversight; addressing the occupation and violence in Gaza; expressed concern for educating and advocating the church on its involvement in Indian Boarding Schools and the disproportionate violence against Indigenous women. Also debated comments regarding the review of the church’s social statement on Human Sexuality and the recommendations of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church, both of which will be considered at the Churchwide Assembly in July. Finally, there were resolutions of gratitude for the Gifts of Hope program (32 years of alternative gift giving that supported various ministries locally and globally), the outgoing synod staff members and synod council officers, and for Bishop Ortiz.
All in all, a busy two days that were filled with Spirit-led moments. Time well spent.
Shalom.
Pr. Mark
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