Gathering of the Ministerium 2026

From September 28–30, rostered ministers, synod authorized ministers, interns, and spouses from across the Virginia Synod gathered in Virginia Beach for the 2026 Gathering of the Ministerium. We give thanks for three days of shared learning, worship, conversation, and fellowship under the theme “A Call to Create: Rethinking Vocation for an Ecozoic Age.”

The Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer, Rector and Dean of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, invited both in-person and digital participants to step into his classroom as he explored the call of ministry. Dr. Rimmer invited attendees to imagine God’s creative life as breathing in and breathing out—God creating and recreating—and to consider what this means for our own vocations and the ministry we share.

Rather than offering a set of practical tools or steps for ministry, Dr. Rimmer invited attendees to zoom out—to consider a new ecology of grace and to behold the grandeur of the sea as an invitation to contemplate what it means to subsist with and within the life of the Divine. From that wider horizon, those gathered were invited to reconsider vocation as participation in the creative and recreative life of God.

Participants also received updates from Portico, Synod Staff, the Synod Treasurer, and the Synod Vice-President. The time also included shared evening meals and an evening of fellowship at a local brewery, where music offered by colleagues added to the joy of being together.

Tuesday's Service of Holy Communion also included the installation of Pastor Sarah Hess as Communications and Storytelling Specialist and Pastor Tina Toburen as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

We give thanks for Dr. Rimmer’s teaching, for all who helped make the gathering possible, and for the pastors, deacons, interns, and synod leaders who came together—both in person and digitally—to learn, worship, reconnect, and imagine anew God’s call to create.

Join us in celebrating the ordination anniversaries of these rostered ministers!

Offices of the Bishop Will Be Closed



The Virginia Synod Offices of the Bishop will be closed on Monday, October 12 in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Normal office hours will resume on Tuesday, October 13.

From the Virginia Synod Hunger Task Force

Pasta with a Purpose Impact Celebration

When grocery and gas bills stretch a family’s budget, a local food pantry can help make ends meet. This summer, Virginia Synod congregations came together through Pasta with a Purpose and donated 16,169.45 pounds of food to local pantries—the equivalent of approximately 13,475 meals. Every congregation that took part helped make that possible.

Now, let’s build on what we accomplished together. Bishop Phyllis Milton and the Virginia Synod Hunger Task Force invite you to a virtual gathering on Wednesday, October 14, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. We’ll celebrate the campaign’s impact, announce the three top donating congregations who are receiving the $250 grants, and share practical ways your congregation can care for neighbors facing hunger during the upcoming holiday season and throughout the year.

Register here!

Please join us and share this invitation with anyone in your congregation involved in community outreach ministries.

P.S. We hope every congregation will designate a hunger liaison to receive and share ideas and resources. Liaisons are welcome at our monthly virtual calls on the second Thursday, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Contact Betsy Liljeberg at b4liljeberg@gmail.com to learn more.

From Portico

Additional Portico Benefits Webinar



Portico members asked for another 2027 annual enrollment webinar, and Portico will be offering one on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 2:00 PM ET for both plan members and sponsoring organizations.

Important dates to remember:

Annual enrollment for sponsoring organizations is October 1-14, 2026.

Annual enrollment for plan members begins in waves starting on October 19, 2026.

From the Virginia Synod Tapestry Team

Weaving Our Stories: LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

The Tapestry Team invites you to the next Weaving Our Stories Zoom series, hosted by the LGBTQIA+ Inclusion thread.

Join us for meaningful storytelling and dialogue as we listen deeply and learn from one another’s experiences. This is a space for honest conversation, shared wisdom, and growing understanding together.

Tuesdays: October 13, October 21, and November 10

7:00–8:15pm (Zoom)

Registration closes October 7

You’re welcome to attend one, two, or all three sessions. Individuals and congregational groups are invited to participate. Sessions will not be recorded, but discussion guides will be shared as a resource.

Register for an upcoming EPIC Online Workshop

The Virginia Synod’s EPIC workshop series offers monthly Zoom workshops designed to support the ministry of local congregations. Each workshop runs from 7 PM to 8:15 PM and is free.

Upcoming workshops:

• October 19 at 7 PM: Planned Giving - Led by Pastor Paul Walters, GSB (Registration closes October 14)
• November 16 at 7 PM: Treasurer's Workshop - End of Year Preparations - Led by John Krallman and Pastor John Wertz, Jr. (Registration closes November 11)

Use the links above to register for each workshop. Please note that each workshop requires you to complete a separate registration to receive the correct Zoom link.

Facebook's New Link Limits:

Congregations and ministries that rely on Facebook to share events, news, and website content may soon notice a significant change. Meta is rolling out a limit on how many external links Facebook Pages can share each month. In this helpful article, communications strategist Steve Fogg explains what the new link limits mean for churches and offers five practical ways to adapt your Facebook strategy while continuing to connect with your congregation and community. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Sarah Hess at hess@vasynod.org.

Advent Resources:

With Advent just around the corner, now is the time to explore resources you can use at home or in your congregation. Explore a list of resources below.

Register for Lost & Found

Registration is now open for Lost & Found, our annual middle school faith formation event for 7th & 8th graders at Eagle Eyrie.

This year, Lost & Found will be November 20-22. We are so excited to welcome a new group of youth into this event and to continue the legacy of discovering where God is finding us in our journeys.

If you and any of your youth are planning to attend, please fill out the 2026 Lost & Found Online Registration Form below, as well as the 2026 Lost and Found Permissions and Medical Form. If you have any questions, please contact Tina Toburen, toburen@vasynod.org.

New this year! We’re excited to offer a new online registration process for synod youth and young adult events. Please read these instructions to walk you through the new online registration process. Please note that registration closes on November 4, 2026.

Celebrate 50 Years of Ordination for the Rev. Dr. Jean Bozeman

Join us in celebrating the Rev. Dr. Jean Bozeman as she marks an incredible milestone, 50 years of ordained ministry! Jean was the first woman ordained in the Virginia Synod, marking a historic moment in the life of our synod and paving the way for generations of women called to serve in ordained ministry. We give thanks for Jean’s faithful service and the many ways her ministry has touched the lives of individuals, congregations, and communities over the years.

A special reception honoring Jean will be held on Sunday, November 15 at First Lutheran Church in Norfolk, and we invite you to help celebrate this milestone by sharing your congratulations and memories.

As part of the celebration, First, Norfolk is organizing a card shower for Jean. Congregations, colleagues, friends, and anyone whose life or ministry has been touched by Jean are invited to send cards, notes of appreciation, favorite memories, or words of encouragement to present to her at the celebration.

Please mail cards to:

First Lutheran Church

℅ Jean Bozeman Card Shower

1301 Colley Ave

Norfolk, VA 23517

Please ensure that all cards are postmarked by October 31.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating Jean, giving thanks for her 50 years of ordained ministry, and honoring the many ways she has shared her gifts in service to the church and God’s people. Questions? Please contact Pastor Cathy Mims (cmims@flcnorfolk.com or 757.625.1953).

Women's Fall Conference Gatherings:

Southern Valley Conference: Boots of Faith

Sunday, October 11 • 2:00pm • St. Jacob's-Spaders, Mt. Crawford

Contact Anne anneputnam55@gmail.com, Carol carol.troxell@gmail.com, or Marsha marshasensabaugh@hotmail.com.

Germanna Conference: Tour of Salubria, Fall Gathering

Saturday, October 24 • 10:00am • Germanna Historic House, Stevensburg

RSVP by October 15 to Roxanne rnharveyva@verizon.net, Carol cobailey42@gmail.com, or Reverie 3rrowlett@cox.net.

Central Valley Conference: Fall Gathering

Saturday, October 24 • 2:00pm • Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp & Retreat Center

RSVP to stpjerom@shentel.net.

Transcendence- First All-Professional Chorus of Virginia Beach

Originally established at St. Peter Cathedral in Erie, PA, Transcendence has now made its new home in Virginia Beach, VA as the first all-professional chorus who performs all of their concerts free to the public. We will be performing several sacred works for the Church Year, as well as a special tribute honoring our Veterans. It is our hope that your parishioners would be interested in attending.

For more information see our website: https://www.richardrobertrossi.com/concert-dates

World Tree Planting Day- October 12

Let's make October 12, 2026 a special day to commemorate Indigenous People's Day by planting trees with your church congregations, friends and families.

Why do we plant trees?

• Reducing green-house gases and reducing climate change: Trees act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in their trunks, branches, and soil.
• Cleaning the air: They filter out harmful pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide while releasing fresh oxygen, essential for human health.
• Planting fruit trees: can help with improving health and well-being by improving diet and nutrition, providing cash crops improving family and local economies.
• Preventing floods and erosion: Their roots anchor the soil and absorb rainwater, which slows down runoff and protects communities from flash floods.

Please take part and send photos etc to share in the good news and care for God’s Creation. Share your stories with DWF: valeriecameron@hotmail.co.uk

Spiritual First Aid for Intergenerational Trauma

October 13 from 7-9 PM

Spiritual First Aid is a practical, peer to peer framework for providing spiritual and emotional care from mild stress to mass trauma. In this two-hour session, participants will learn the core Spiritual First Aid approach of Triage, Care, and Refer while exploring how the effects of trauma can sometimes extend across generations. Using intergenerational trauma examples throughout the session, participants will learn to recognize whole person Primary Needs, offer compassionate and practical support, strengthen coping, connection, meaning, and hope, and help people take a next step toward additional care when needed. The session is designed for faith community nurses, clergy, chaplains, deacons, and lay ministry leaders and emphasizes how trusted helpers can provide trauma informed care without assuming the role of a mental health professional.

Stories from enCircle

Read the most recent story from our ministry partner, enCircle, and learn more about the ways they are supporting children, families, and communities across Virginia.

Enrollment Open for Lutheran Summer Music 2027

Youth musicians in grades 8-12 are invited to Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) 2027 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN! LSM is the nation’s premier faith-based music academy for high school students. Churches from around the country send students to LSM for an unforgettable summer of musical growth and connections in faith and community. Students work with nationally recognized faculty and gather daily to share musical gifts in worship. Academy offerings include large ensembles (band, choir, orchestra), chamber music, private lessons, and electives like handbells, intro to the pipe organ, jazz, musical theatre, composition, conducting, church music, and more. Churches are encouraged to nominate students, and students can apply now through December 1 for a Priority Enrollment $100 discount.

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