Assembly Registration is Open!

ONE WEEK to register -- Register by April 1st.

+ Each congregation is invited to register their voting members (elected laypersons and called rostered ministers) as a group.

+ Rostered Ministers who are not under call at a congregation are invited to register individually.

+ Visitors (those laypersons NOT elected to serve as voting members from their congregation) are also invited to register now - but first, please consider volunteering at the assembly! We are seeking CHECK-IN folks, SET UP helpers, ETC. If interested, please reach out to Susan at Susan@lutheransnw.org before you register.

Learn more about the assembly here.

Synod Assembly - Resolutions Due by April 1

Submit a resolution for consideration at the 2025 NW Washington Synod Assembly

First, review THIS DOCUMENT and utilize the format for submitting resolutions to be considered at the May 16-17 Northwest Washington Synod Assembly. Please submit your resolution as a WORD document by April 1, 2025. Attach any other documents in digital form for any explanation or rationale you would like to include.

The Reference & Counsel Committee will review and evaluate all resolutions in accordance with the Standing Rules. You will receive confirmation from the committee that they have received your resolution – and whether it has been approved to go to the assembly, or if there are changes needed.



We will be hosting an online resolutions hearing on May 7 at 7pm to provide resolution authors an opportunity to discuss the resolutions with assembly voting members ahead of the assembly.  

Bishop Call Process Nominee Forum: 

On Sunday, May 4, at 3:00 pm, a Zoom webinar will be held for synod assembly voting members to hear from the nominees for the Bishop Call Process: the Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin and the Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee. Due to space limitations, a link to the webinar will be made available after the forum for all non-voting members to watch the recording. (Voting Members, watch for an email with the zoom registration link in April.) 

If you have a question that you would like the Task Force to consider for inclusion in this Q&A style forum, please submit it to Pastor Gail Rautmann, Chair, at pastorgail@gloria-dei-lutheran.org. Because of time limitations, we cannot guarantee that all questions will be included in the forum, though we are eager to receive input on the topics that are important to you. Please submit these questions by April 12, for the Task Force’s consideration. 

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (March 25)

The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a time for reflection but also for education. Despite myths to the contrary, enslaved Africans enriched the Americas not just through their labor but also through their vital skills and knowledge. In addition, rather than accept their fate, they engaged in powerful acts of resistance. Short video below is from the United Nations.

Pastoring with a Dual Diagnosis

March 26, 10am-11am (Pacific)

A one-hour free webinar presented by the Center of Addiction & Faith.

The Rev. Seth Perry will share his personal and professional journey of pastoring while living with a dual diagnosis. He will explore the challenges and stigma that clergy face in seeing mental health and addiction recovery as well as the unique strengths that come from leading with lived experience.  In 2024 he authored the devotional Our Stigma, furthering his commitment to breaking down barriers in faith communities.  He is a pastor at Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, MN. The webinar host is the Rev. George A. Wood. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_f1CYHxIXTIekORuKBfIqhA#/registration

Learning Love Lenten Series

This year’s installment of LiVE’s Lenten “Gospel & Culture” series. In her book All About Love, bell hooks explores the transformative power of love through a commitment to personal growth, justice, and self-awareness.

Come and deepen our calling to love as we explore her writing together Thursday evenings in Lent: Mar 27, April 3 & 10



Learn more and get registered here - not too late to join! https://www.lutheransnw.org/events/learning-love-lenten-journey-with-bell-hooks/2025-03-06

“This Isn’t Kansas, Toto” Living in the New, Digital World: Lessons for Adults and Children

Presented by Dr. Patricia Fosarelli, MD, DMin

Sponsored by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association

March 25

The digital world is here to stay, and while it is capable of offering information and opportunities previously unavailable to most of us, that capability is a double-edged sword. Information that is false can be passed off as truth; comments that are mere opinions can appear to be facts; websites that are inappropriate for anyone can be accessed by the youngest or most vulnerable; persons who appear to be peers on social media can be predators; humiliating social media posts can lead the most susceptible to harming themselves.

Download the PDF here.

Register here: https://lutheranfcna.org/event-6064223

Celebrate Women’s History Month

March is designated as Women’s History Month to honor women’s contributions to U.S. history. Please celebrate by joining your colleagues from ELCA Gender Justice and Women’s Empowerment at the events below!

Annual Women’s History Month Trivia

Friday, March 28, 10-11am

Want to learn about the history that’s left out of textbooks? Come to the churchwide organization’s annual Women’s History Month trivia! Bring a team or come by yourself and make some new friends. This is a great chance to connect with colleagues you wish you’d see more, to infuse some laughter into your day and to learn something new along the way. You do not need strong history skills to participate.

Join the meeting now

Upcoming Training Provided by WA Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN)

Rapid Response Trainings

Sat March 29, 2025, 12 pm–2 pm Zoom Registration

Learn more about Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network here: https://waisn.org/

P.S. If you’d like to report immigration activity, raids and detentions in Washington, please call the WAISN Deportation Defense Hotline at 1-844-724-3737. Our operators speak Spanish and English, and we have interpretation available in nearly 300 languages.

Unmasking Our Community’s Food Crisis: A Lunch and Learn Event

Tuesday, April 1 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

at St. Matthew's Lutheran in Renton

Food insecurity is an urgent crisis in Washington State, and faith communities and organizations play a crucial role in the fight against hunger. Join us for an eye-opening conversation that will equip you with the latest statistics, evidence-based strategies, and practical tools to maximize donations and serve your community more effectively.

Registration is limited - register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2jRJjNdrbUFG0TvmXNXce_ZyoVHaZcU9gqX7rlIWC8DQEQg/viewform

Download flyer here

LiVE Retreat -

Healing Creation: Sacred Hope in Action

Saturday, April 5, 9am-3pm at Our Savior's, Everett

Hope, active in love, provokes us to join in God’s work of healing creation. Grounded in the image of the Tree of Life in Revelation, Biblical scholar Rev. Dr. Barbara Rossing will explore how God’s creation prompts us into action and calls the church into a more expansive identity. Rev. Erik Kindem and members of the Peace Lutheran Creation Care Team will explore ways to connect the dots between our worship life and the natural world, as well as offer practical actions for daily life. Come, be inspired by these, and other leaders whose hearts beat for restorative justice and the healing of God's creation. 

Guest Faculty:

Barbara Rossing is a Professor Emerita of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and an avid environmentalist. She served as pastor of a congregation in Minnesota, director for Global Mission Interpretation for the American Lutheran Church, pastor at Holden Village, and chaplain at Harvard University Divinity School. As a public theologian her media appearances have included “CBS Sixty Minutes” as well as The History Channel and National Geographic. 

Rev. Erik P. Kindem was ordained in 1986. For five years he served as Pastor/Director of Lutheran Ministry with Native Americans, working with Karuk, Yurok, Hupa and Wiyot Tribal communities in Northwestern California. Subsequent calls include parishes in Portland, OR, LaCenter, WA, and West Seattle, where he has served as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church since 2005. Among his deepest passions is connecting the dots between Lutheran sacramental life and the natural world. 

Location - Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Everett

Registration is FREE if your church purchased a Congregational Bundle. Ask your church office for the Bundle promo code. Without a bundle, individual registrations are $50.



Register here: https://nwwasynod.regfox.com/healing-creation-retreat

Mary. From Pain to Purpose.

We have an exciting event coming up at Kent Lutheran Church!

On Saturday, April 5, starting at 1 PM, we will be showing the documentary “Mary. From Pain to Purpose.”

It tells the story of Mary, a transgender woman from Pennsylvania, her journey, her struggles, and how she as a trans woman found a sense of purpose. Mary Almy (She/ Her) is a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church. She has served the church as an Elder, Deacon and as a mission coworker. Mary is a Transgender Womxn of faith, whose desire is to build bridges and heal hurts between the LGBT community especially the Transgender community and the Church. Mary currently lives in York, Pa with her wife, dog and two cats.

Here is a link to the movie trailer: https://youtu.be/SUFzXyAx0NI

Mary is flying in from Pennsylvania to share the movie, which is about 90 minutes long, as well as offering a time of conversation and Q&A to help us to gain a deeper understanding of what life might be like as a trans person, and how we as the church might grow in our love, understanding and embrace of all people. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend for a time of learning and respectful conversation! Kent Lutheran Church is located at 336 2nd Ave S, Kent | 253 852 2057.   

Considering Seminary?

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS)

Discernment Weekend April 4-6

Are you wondering if seminary might be right for you? Consider joining Signs Along the Way at PLTS in Berkeley, California to connect with others in discernment, get to know PLTS faculty, and explore what it’s like to be an online student in the MDiv, MA in Spirituality and Social Change, or Lutheran Year programs. PLTS is transitioning to only offer online study with in-person intensives, so this weekend is designed for those interested in online learning.

PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can offer some travel assistance for those who need it. Visit plts.edu/signs to learn more.

Volunteer Work Day at Camp!

April 12

Join other volunteers for a day at Camp Lutherwood to improve and maintain various camp projects. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow community members for a day filled with purpose and belonging. Past projects have included, but are not limited to, painting buildings, maintaining trails, and building a beautiful deck. Lunch will be provided!



For more information, please contact Matthew at: matthew.turman@camplutherwood.org

(THANK YOU to all who attended the first Spring Work Day on March 22!)

YassifyJesus & Emmaus Table Present: Drag Church 

Join us for an Easter celebration of spiritual healing, visibility, and joy as drag queens perform beloved church classics in a fabulous and inclusive space! 

With performances by Kara Sutra, Bobbi Jo Blessings, Sara Femme, Brandi Marxx, Evergreen Events, and Audilum this uplifting event will inspire patrons to find the light within and use it to spread healing throughout their communities. 

Don’t miss this transformative experience!

Ticket information can be found here: https://ticketbud.com/events/9f2f9394-e375-11ef-910e-42010a71703b

Pacific Lutheran University Event:

Please join us for the Natalie Mayer Lecture on April 16th with speaker Cutcha Risling Baldy, whose research focuses on Indigenous feminisms, Californian Indians, Environmental Justice, Traditional ecological knowledge, and decolonization. Her book, "We Are Dancing For You: Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women's Coming of Age Ceremonies" won "Best First Book in Native and American Indigenous Studies" at the 2019 Native American Indigenous Studies Association Conference.

This event will also honor the legacy of our donor, Natalie Mayer, who was dedicated to teaching others about the Native American experience.

Wednesday, April 16, 7pm in the Regency Room, Anderson University Center at PLU.

REGISTER HERE: https://www.plu.edu/hgst/natalie-mayer-lecture-registration/



This event will be livestreamed for those not able to attend in-person. Free and open to the public.

Pacific Lutheran University Event:

Please join us for the Jolita Hylland Benson Education Lecture, "Native Now and Forever: Celebrating and Integrating Indigenous Literary Voice for Young Readers." The lecture will be presented by award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith, who will highlight the history and growth of Native representation both on the page and behind the bylines.



Smith will celebrate progress, reflect on why it matters to young readers, and share best practices for educators. The conversational, visually engaging presentation will include practical takeaways and conclude with a question-and-answer session.

Tuesday, April 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Chris Knutzen Hall, Anderson University Center at Pacific Lutheran University

Learn more and register here:

https://www.plu.edu/education/jolita-hylland-benson-education-lecture/

This event is free and open to the public. A book signing will take place following the lecture

Leadership Lab 2025: A Transformational Week of Faith & Leadership

What if you could experience 14 weeks of faith formation and leadership training—in just one week?

That’s the power of Leadership Lab.

Leadership Lab is an immersive, faith-based leadership development experience for high schoolers (having completed 9^th grade), young adults (18-23), and faith leaders (both lay and rostered). Whether you are stepping into leadership for the first time or have years of experience, Lab equips participants with practical skills, deepened faith, and a supportive community to lead in the church and beyond.



Through engaging small groups, interactive worship, and intentional mentoring, participants grow in confidence, discover their gifts, and practice leadership in real time. Each person is part of a developmentally tailored track, ensuring meaningful learning and opportunities to lead within the Lab community.

Why Leadership Lab?

With so many summer ministry opportunities—mission trips, Vacation Bible School, and confirmation camps—it’s easy to fill the calendar. But Leadership Lab offers something different: In a world where connection, purpose, and authentic leadership are more important than ever, Lab provides a space where participants are seen, encouraged, and challenged to embrace their role as leaders in the Church and in the world. Whether you attend alone or with a group, you will leave more equipped, more connected, and more confident in the ways God is calling you to lead.

More than a camp—this is leadership in action.

Leadership isn’t just something we talk about at Lab—it’s something we practice. Every participant, whether in high school, a young adult, or a faith leader, engages in intentional leadership formation, bringing new skills and deeper faith back to their communities.

📅 When? June 23-28, 2025 (plus travel dates)

📍 Where? Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

💰 Cost? $420 (includes housing, meals, and T-shirt). Register by April 1 before prices increase!

👥 Who? High schoolers (grades 9-12), young adults (ages 18-23), and adults who serve in faith leadership (Children, Youth, and Family Ministry leaders, Pastors, and Deacons).

Dn. Bobbi Cyr has been attending Leadership Lab for over a decade and will be serving on staff for her 7th year. Wondering how to attend from the Pacific Northwest? Contact Bobbi (director@lutherstable.com) to learn how St. Matthew’s has been making this affordable for students from the Synod and explore traveling as a group!

Learn more:

UPCOMING NWWA SYNOD ZOOM - Info Session for Students/Parents/Youth Leaders on Thursday, March 20 at 7pm. RSVP to Bobbi for the zoom link: director@lutherstable.com

🌐 Leadership Lab Info

✏️ Register Here (before registering, contact Bobbi)

Don’t miss this transformative opportunity to step into leadership, build lifelong connections, and be empowered for faith-filled service in the world.

Every Day Godly Play Family Retreat

At St. Andrew’s House in Union, WA

June 30–July 2, 2025

Cost: $125 per person (includes lodging and six meals)

Come away with us on a Godly Play Retreat especially designed for families to hear stories, wonder, and play together in community with one another. Gathering at St. Andrew’s House, nestled in the beautiful Puget Sound of Washington, we will explore God’s gift of creation and experience rhythms to help nurture the spirituality of all ages and deepen connection with loved ones and new friends. 

Learn more and register here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctmr2kYhKJ7K3u2CNUJN-jCwrmOIWAVbzKYHGO5gYX9G8Olg/viewform)

Want an item included?

Email Susan Berg, Dir. Communications & Events

All items due by 2pm on the prior Thursday

Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA

5519 Phinney Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98103

206-783-9292