Welcome to the synod e-news! Reminder: The last section of the synod newsletter is always the buttons to resources on the synod website. If your email ends before that, it may have been "clipped." If you see that message, just click on the "View entire message" link next to it to view the newsletter in its entirety.

Get ready! Registration for the 2026 LEAD Conference will open on Monday, January 5, 2026.

The 2026 LEAD Conference for rostered and lay leaders is:

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 9:00am to 3:30pm

Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison

(5202 Cottage Grove Rd., Madison)

Our keynote speaker is Grace Pomroy, Director of the Stewardship Leaders Program at Luther Seminary and author of the excellent book, Funding Forward: A Pathway to More Sustainable Models for Ministry.

LEAD is the SCSW's annual conference for both rostered and lay leaders, offering an opportunity to come together for learning, worship, fellowship, and more. Many more details are yet to come, including the line-up of workshop opportunities. Stay tuned!

Mark your calendars!

The 2026 SCSW Synod Assembly is May 15 and 16, 2026 at the Woodmans Center in Janesville, WI.

The Assembly will open on the evening of Friday, May 15 and will continue through the day on Saturday, May 16.

Planning is underway and more details, including registration information, will be shared soon.

The 2026 Synod Assembly includes a Bishop election. The Bishop Election Committee is being formed. If you are interested in being a part of the Bisohp Election Committee, please contact synod council member Noel Miller at themillers0519@gmail.com. More ways to connect and learn about the upcoming assembly will be shared in future communications.

As 2025 comes to a close, rostered ministers are reminded to complete and submit the annual Rostered Minister Report. These reports provide a valuable connection point for Bishop Joy and aid in her understanding of the joys and concerns of our synod rostered ministers.

Rostered Minister Report forms are available on the ELCA website.

Click here to access the list of reports and choose the one that best fits your current situation.

Please return completed forms to Jill Sim, SCSW Administrative Assistant, by February 15, 2026.

The Office of the Bishop is preparing a mailing to all synod congregations, which you should receive within the next two weeks.

We don't often send things via "snail mail" and so wanted to provide a heads up so you can keep watch and keep alert (so very Advent-y!).

Our global companion synod, the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (NELC), has sent our synod a Christmas greeting.

We are delighted that the bonds that formed during the synod trip to India this past January continue to strengthen.

Click here to read and download the NELC Christmas greeting.

The Rev. Yehiel Curry, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, will offer the keynote address at Luther College's Martin Luther King, Jr. event on January 19, 2026. The theme of the day is "Courage for the Common Good."

The day will inclue Bishop Curry's keynote address, an optional community lunch, and an afternoon session for both youth and adults.

Click here to learn more about this free event being held at Luther College.

The Center of Addiction and Faith invites you to join an online Blue Christmas Service on December 21 at 7:00pm (CT).

The holiday season arrives when the world around us is at its coldest and darkest. In these deep winter weeks, when the trees are bare and the days are short, it’s easy to feel as if the warmth and light we’re promised are out of reach.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” A beautiful truth—yet there are moments when that light feels faint, and the shadows feel closer than ever.

This service is for anyone who isn’t feeling merry or bright right now. For anyone carrying grief, exhaustion, disappointment, or a quiet ache you can’t quite name. While the world pushes cheer, we make space for what’s real. We gather to honor your pain, your questions, your empty places, and to gently ask—together—for comfort, for courage, and for a light that still rises even when we cannot see it. You are not alone. Come as you are.

Click here to register and to receive the Zoom link for the service.

Jennifer Prinz, our regional representative from Portico, has shared some important updates, including a reminder to watch for new Portico HealthID cards and and HealthEquity Debit card. Jennifer also shares important information about the FSA and HSA transition from Further to HealthEquity.

Click here to view and download the latest updates. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Prinz at JPrinz@porticobenefits.org.

The SCSW Care for Creation team's 2026 online winter Zoom book study begins January 8, 2026. We will meet every Thursday from 6:30pm to 7:45pm, from January 8 through February 5.

Together we’ll explore the book, Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters by Sandra Richter, in which the author provides insights into ancient Israelite society that allow us to connect with their wisdom today.

Biblical sections about caring for land, animals, and people on the margins are clearly presented along with practical suggestions on how to be responsive in caring for creation. Richter is known as a lively Bible teacher, has a PhD from Harvard, and is a member of the Committee for Biblical Translation of the NIV.

Click here to register for the Zoom. After you register you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. Questions? Contact Deacon Meg Nielsen, Care for Creation Committee Chair.

The Winter 2026 Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) Foundations newsletter is now available! This edition includes information about a 12-week discipleship course, ideas for growing your men's ministry, and an article about a thriving "Breakfast and Bibles" ministry.

Click here to view the LMM Winter Foundations newsletter.

The December 2025 edition of the Lutherans United in Assisting After Disaster (LUAD) newsletter is here!

The December edition includes notes from LUAD president Dale Holmen and information about how you can connect with LUAD via social media and upcoming events.

Click here to download the newsletter.

The Rev. Jason Hill

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Brooklyn Lutheran Church, Brooklyn

Primrose Lutheran Church, Belleville



The Rev. Wade Crevier

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church

Poplar Grove, IL

Below are learning opportunities that the Office of the Bishop has been made aware of that may be of interest to our rostered and lay leaders.

Holy Wisdom Monestary is hosting a free educational event:

Resisting Christian Nationalism: What Is It and What Can I Do?

January 11, 2026, 1:00pm to 3:00pm

This event is designed to help participants better understand Christian Nationalism and how to resist it.

The Rev. Dr. Kerri Parker, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, is the keynote speaker. The event will provide a time at the end for questions from participants.

Click here for more information and to register for this free event.

Applications are open for the next cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This is an opportunity to journey as part of a cohort of pastors from across the country and multiple Christian traditions for two years of contemplative practice and renewal. The journey begins with two immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery, an ecumenical Benedictine monastery nestled in 130 acres of restored prairie on the north edge of Madison, Wisconsin.

This program offers early and mid-career clergy the opportunity to nourish their spiritual center by developing life-long practices of contemplative prayer and covenantal relationships with clergy peers. 

Click here for more information and to apply.