Each ELCA synod holds a bishop’s election every six years. In 2015, the Rev. Timothy Marcus Smith was elected to the office of Bishop of the North Carolina Synod of the ELCA, and he has served faithfully for nearly six years. This means a bishop’s election was a point of business at the 2021 synod assembly.

“What brings you strength for the journey?” Assembly-goers were asked to submit their answers to that question ahead of this year’s NC Synod Assembly. After gathering the responses and considering the assembly text of Mark 2 (the story of the paralytic let down through the roof), artist Sister Michelle Walka says, “I offered these responses as a written prayer layer on the canvas.”

Throughout Assembly, the North Carolina Synod reaffirmed our commitment to embracing our partners in ministry. God gives us strength through our ministry with each other and our ecumenical siblings in Christ from the Moravian Church and The Episcopal Church as well as the ELCA. Collaboration is a key component of the synod vision statement and it was wonderful to hear our partners in faith discuss our interdependent relationships.

The Friday morning agenda allowed assembly participants the opportunity to hear from Bishop Timothy Smith. Bishop Smith’s reflections, while they included his thankfulness of being reelected as well as his memories of six years ago, mostly focused on the past two years of ministry within our synod.

Strength for the Journey was the theme of the 2021 North Carolina Synod Assembly, with the central text being the story of the man who was paralyzed being lowered through the roof in order to see Jesus (Mark 2:1-12). Each day of the assembly, devotions were offered by different lay leaders in the NC Synod.

Traditionally, synod assembly has been a time to celebrate together special anniversaries. This year’s gathering was no different; even as those celebrations made their way to an online format.

On Saturday morning, the Rev. Dr. Katherine A. Shaner, a rostered minister of the NC Synod who teaches all things New Testament at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, shared updates from the Engage the Bible Task Force including some resources to help you and your congregation engage the Bible.

Throughout the 2021 Synod Assembly, we heard from our partners in ministry about their work to be the church together. Although the COVID-19 pandemic required all of our ministry partners to pivot, their witness to the gospel certainly affirms that we are better together even when we need to remain apart.

Periodically during the 2021 Synod Assembly, a familiar “ping” could be heard and we were quickly aware that a Luthergram story from the ELCA churchwide office was ready for us. From these Luthergram stories, we learned about the work of the ELCA throughout the pandemic and moving into a new church design.

Vice President Diana Haywood is known for many things across the North Carolina Synod—mostly for her faithful, careful, and bold leadership of Synod Council since her election in 2009. However, those who have attended synod assemblies over the years will remember well another claim to fame: her powerful assembly reflections which usually come right near the end of the agenda. This year was no different! Diana gave us inspired food for thought, allowing us to take the best pieces of assembly with us through the lens of our centering text of Mark 2 and the story of the paralytic let down through the roof in order that he might be healed.

We heard a lot about the new All Races One Church (AROC) Fund of the North Carolina Synod at our 2021 Assembly. This is not your typical budget line item; this is money that makes a difference. This is money that uses our prophetic voice, one of our core values as a synod, to provide hope and healing. This is something new that will give our synod strength for the journey as we support our already vital and vibrant congregations and rostered leaders of color.

One of the tasks of any Synod Assembly is the election of leaders to serve on behalf of the synod. Two groups of leaders were elected as part of this year’s assembly business: synod council members and voting members for the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Additionally, a few board and committee members were ratified by the assembly.

On Thursday of the Assembly, Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) officially kicked off its Be the Light capital campaign. Ted Goins, LSC president and CEO, and Betty Lohr, Be The Light co-chair, introduced the $4.2 million effort. Diana Haywood, VP of the NC Synod Council endorsed the campaign and encouraged others to help with the efforts to raise funds.

The Assembly theme “Strength for the Journey” was well inspired throughout Thursday evening’s Opening Worship. Created specifically for the 2021 Synod Assembly, the icon art on the front of the bulletin reminds us that God’s redeeming love breaks down barriers and invites us to join a community of discipleships that strives to faithfully worship, grow, and serve God together. Despite the barriers that we may place upon God’s active and redeeming ministry ourselves, God’s love continues to flourish.

As worship began, Madi White, a Moravian intern at The Dwelling provided a description of the origins of the Moravian Love Feast. Early in the 18th century, congregants stuck around after worship to talk about the spiritual blessing they had received during the Eucharist celebration. They were gathered on Count Zinzendorf’s property, and seeing that their holy conversation was stretching out while minutes turned to hours, he brought them refreshments. Today, during a Moravian Love Feast, we still dwell in the Word while sharing a snack, often a sweet bun and a mug of sweet coffee or spiced tea.

Our worship offerings during the assembly will go to the Earlene Miller Scholarship started by the NC Synod to honor her legacy as the first African-American Woman ordained in the ELCA (and its predecessor bodies). Pastor Miller's first call was at Prince of Peace, Greensboro.