This Assembly will elect synod council members, committee members, and will also elect voting members to attend the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona. View the nominees here.

Nomination Forms


The Nominating Committee invites members of Grand Canyon Synod congregations to prayerfully consider if God is calling them to serve on synod council, on a committee, or as a voting member at the next Churchwide Assembly. Elections to fill these positions will take place at the 2024 Synod Assembly. Descriptions of the duties of each open position can be found below.

Any congregational member in good standing may self-nominate or be nominated to open positions.

Nomination forms for all positions must be received no later than 4/30/2024.

  • Questions about nominations may be directed to the Nominating Committee at office@gcsynod.org.


Synod Council

OPEN POSITIONS

The following synod council positions are open. Each position has one opening unless otherwise noted.

  • At-large representative, lay female or other, except male
    (Two positions are open)

  • At-large representative, lay male or other, except female

  • At-large representative, female rostered minister
    (Two positions are open)

  • At-large representative, male rostered minister

  • At-large representative, person of color or whose language is other than English – any gender

  • At-large representative, young adult, any gender, between the ages of 18 and 30

  • At-large representative, youth, any gender, must be under 18 years of age

S10.01.05. The youth representative on the Synod Council shall be elected for a term of two years and may be reelected to a second term if qualified under S10.01.06.

S10.01.06. The youth representative on the Synod Council shall be a person who has not passed her or his 18th birthday at the time of election, and who shall be residing within the territory of the synod during the term of office.

SYNOD COUNCIL FUNCTIONS

The functions of the Synod Council shall be to:

  • Exercise trusteeship responsibilities on behalf of this synod.

  • Recommend program goals and budgets to the regular meetings of the Synod Assembly.

  • Carry out the resolutions of the Synod Assembly.

  • Provide for an annual review of the roster of Ministers of Word and Sacrament and the roster of Ministers of Word and Service, receive and act upon appropriate recommendations regarding those persons whose status is subject to reconsideration and action under the constitution and bylaws of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and make a report to the Synod Assembly of the Synod Council’s actions in this regard.

  • Issue letters of call to rostered ministers as authorized by Chapter 7 of the constitution and bylaws of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

  • Fill vacancies until the next regular meeting of the Synod Assembly, except as may otherwise be provided in the constitution or bylaws of this synod, and determine the fact of the incapacity of an officer of this synod.

  • Report its actions to the regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.

  • Perform such other functions as are set forth in the bylaws of this synod, or as may be delegated to it by the Synod Assembly.


Committees

Five total positions are open for rostered ministers and laypersons on our Committee on Discipline: four rostered ministers and one layperson.

FROM OUR CONSTITUTION

†S11.03. The Committee on Discipline of this synod shall consist of 12 persons, of whom six shall be ministers of Word and Sacrament and six shall be laypersons, who shall each be elected by the Synod Assembly for a term of six years without consecutive re-election.

a. The functions of the Committee on Discipline of this synod are set forth in Chapter 20 of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

b. The Synod Council shall fill vacancies on the Committee on Discipline for any unexpired term.


Churchwide Assembly Voting Members

OPEN POSITIONS

These positions are to be filled by a layperson or rostered minister as noted and will attend the 2025 Churchwide Assembly will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, July 28-August 2. The rostered minister category includes deacons. 

  • Lay male

  • Lay female

  • Rostered minister

  • Person of color or first language other than English

  • Youth/Young Adult
    "Youth" will not have reached the age of 18 by the time of the 2022 CWA, and "young adult" is a voting member of a congregation who is between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of the 2022 CWA.

CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY INFORMATION

Grand Canyon Synod is allotted ten voting members to the Churchwide Assembly. The bishop and usually the vice president are part of the Grand Canyon Synod voting members, making eight open positions available.

The 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is planned for July 28-August 2 in Phoenix (expenses are paid by the ELCA churchwide organization).

Responsibilities:

  • Attend pre-Assembly meeting(s) with other churchwide voting members from the Grand Canyon Synod.

  • Attend the entire 2025 Churchwide Assembly.

  • Review the Churchwide Assembly documents in preparation for business sessions

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is the primary decision-making body of the church and meets triannually. It is a time to be the living body of Christ guided by the Spirit and to carry on work on behalf of the entire church. Over the course of the assembly, voting members:

  • Hear reports and review the work of churchwide officers, leaders and units.

  • Receive and consider proposals from synod assemblies.

  • Elect officers, board members and other leaders as specified by the constitution or bylaws.

  • Establish ELCA churchwide policy.

  • Worship together.

  • Adopt a budget.

  • Conduct other business related to the ELCA churchwide organization.


For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
— 1 Corinthians 12:12