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Voting Members
Our Synod Assembly is the highest governing body in the Metropolitan New York Synod (MNYS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Voting members at the assembly serve on behalf of all the people of this synod. Voting members are called to make decisions for the well-being of our synod and the wider church. This year, voting members of the Synod Assembly will be entrusted to elect Synod Council members, Consultation Committee members, and Discipline Committee members for the program year 2024 (read more
HERE.) The assembly will also approve a budget proposal for the Fiscal Year 2024, among other important businesses for the life of our synod.
Constitutionally, voting members are:
- All ELCA Rostered Ministers in our synod (Ordained Ministers for Word and Sacrament {Pastors} & Ordained Ministers for Word and Service {Deacons})
- Lay congregation members and lay Synod Deacons* who have been elected by their congregation (typically—and following our constitution’s guidelines—voting members will have an equal gender representation)
- Officers and Synod Council members of the synod
- Ecumenical partners serving in our synod
A formula has been adopted for the election of voting members by congregations and authorized worshipping communities based on the current year’s congregational statistics:
- Synodically Authorized Worshipping Communities: 1 lay voting member
- Congregations up to 699 baptized members: 2 lay voting members
- Congregations between 700 - 999 baptized members: 3 lay voting members
- Congregations of 1,000 or more baptized members: 4 lay voting members
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The voting devices are rented by MNYS for the assembly. Any voting member who does NOT return their voting device WILL BE held accountable for the monetary fee of said device.
Visitors
We encourage people to attend our annual assembly as visitors. During plenary sessions, visitors must sit in the designated space but are otherwise free to participate in worship, forums, and community-building activities. This is a great opportunity for interns or those who want to learn more about our synod.
We’re delighted to be hosting our assembly back in person again this year, but we need your help! If you are interested in volunteering at our assembly this year, please fill out the form HERE. A member of our assembly team will follow-up with more details of how you can help closer to the day of the event.
If you have questions about the form, please contact Maria Rodas, Data and Events Manager/Administrative Supervisor, at [email protected] or 212-870-2387.
To register, click HERE. Please note that any ELCA-rostered ministers and Synod Council members who cannot attend the assembly are expected to complete the Request of Absence form HERE. Payment is not required at the time of registration, but checks must be received before the end of the registration period to lock in that rate. To view our full Payment and Cancelation Policy, click HERE.
For our 2023 Synod Assembly, the registration fees are as follows:
Early Registration [CLOSED]
Voting Member
$175.00 per voting member
Payment must be received by March 7
Visitor
$75.00 per visitor
Payment must be received by March 7
Meal Plan (Optional; includes two lunches & one dinner)
$175.00
Payment must be received by April 17
Regular Registration [CLOSED]
Voting Member
$200.00 per voting member
Payment must be received by April 17
Visitor
$100.00 per visitor
Payment must be received by April 17
Meal Plan (Optional)
$175.00
Payment must be received by April 17
Onsite Registration [Only Available Friday, May 5, before Plenary I]
Voting Member
$350.00 per voting member
Due to limited capacity, no registration is available for visitors after April 17
Due to hotel restrictions, no meal plans will be available after April 17
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Any lay representative of a congregation looking to register on-site MUST have their pastor present to verify their role as said congregation’s voting member, per S7.14.02 of this synod’s constitution. Non-compliance will result in ejection from the property.
For more clarification regarding assembly fees, click HERE.
A meal package will be available. The meal package will include two lunches and one dinner. Breakfast will not be included. The deadline to purchase a meal plan is April 17; no meal plans will be available after this date. For more clarification regarding assembly fees, click
HERE.
The Reference and Counsel Committee collects, reviews, and presents resolutions and memorials to the Synod Assembly for consideration. Resolutions and memorials are proposals for the ministry of our church. Memorials address broad policy issues and are passed by Synod Assemblies for consideration by the Churchwide Assembly. Resolutions are requests for synodical consideration or action.
The Reference and Counsel Committee report will be available on our Synod Assembly Resources webpage by April 21.
Submitting a Resolution or Memorial [THIS DEADLINE HAS PASSED]
The deadline to submit a resolution or memorial is
February 17, 2023. For help creating your resolution or memorial, see the ELCA’s Guidelines
HERE. Once completed, please email your document (
PDF format recommended) to Maria Rodas,
Data and Events Manager/Administrative Supervisor, at
[email protected] or 212-870-2387, and attach any additional
photos or additional materials you wish to include.
MNYS Conferences, Committees, and Partner Organizations are invited to share their work with the synod in our annual
Bulletin of Reports. All reports are
due on March 17, 2023. If you have any questions, please email
Lori Scaffidi at
l[email protected]. To learn more or access the forms to submit a report, please click
HERE.
Get Involved: Plenary Time, Display Table, Advertisement, and Coffee Hour Requests
Our 2023 MNYS Assembly promises to be an exciting time for us, TOGETHER as church; there are different ways you or your organization can get involved at our assembly.
- Plenary Time
- Host a Forum or Workshop
- Host a Display Table
- Submission of Ad Space
- Sponsor a Coffee Hour*
Access the Involvement Request form HERE. The link for payment information will be provided upon completion of the request form.
Deadlines:
February 17: [ DEADLINE HAS PASSED ]
Plenary Time Request
March 3: [ DEADLINE HAS PASSED ]
Forum/Workshop Request
Display Table Request with payment
Coffee Hour Request with payment
Submission of Ad Space with payment
Please note that applications will be reviewed by the planning team. The contact person will be notified of the granted plenary time by February 25. Notification of granted space for a display table, a workshop or forum, a coffee hour, or ad space will be provided to the contact person by March 11. If you are affiliated with multiple committees or partner organizations, please fill out separate forms for each.
If you have questions or need help with the Involvement Request form, please contact Maria Rodas, Data and Events Manager/Administrative Supervisor, at [email protected] or 212-870-2387.
*Sponsors of Coffee Hour will receive a complimentary display table and advertisement during the assembly. This is a great opportunity for sponsors to showcase their products or services to a captive audience while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Coffee Hour. With the added exposure from the advertisement, sponsors can expect increased visibility and brand recognition.
The agenda will be posted on our Synod Assembly Resources webpage by April 21. The agenda is formed through a sub-group working to propose the overall shape of plenary times based on requests received by the Office of the Bishop. The assembly planning team reviews the requests and recommends a draft agenda to the Executive Committee and Synod Council, who approve an agenda for the recommendation of adoption. The recommended agenda is then shared with the assembly for consideration.
Payment may be made at the time of registration via credit card or received by regular post (church check) by the due date. Early registrations must be paid by March 7. All registrations must be paid by April 17. Any registrations that remain unpaid after April 17 will be canceled.
Additionally, we want to ensure that our voting members are not restricted from participating due to financial limitations. If you are an elected voting member and are in need of financial assistance for synod assembly registration, please complete the form
HERE.
Per S7.14.04, the MNYS Bishop will need to receive all excuses for absence from ELCA-rostered ministers (ordained pastors and ordained deacons) whose attendance is expected, as well as any registered voting members. All requests to be excused must be received via the Request of Absence form
HERE. Cancelation requests should be sent to Maria Rodas,
Data and Events Manager/Administrative Supervisor, at
[email protected] or 212-870-2387.
Cancelations received before April 17, 2023, will receive a complete refund. Cancelations received after this date and before May 1, 2023, will be refunded for 75% of the registration fees. No refunds will be available after this date.
A substitution for a voting member must be requested by the pastor or an officer from the congregation if an alternative voting member was registered. This action won’t have any additional fees. To substitute a voting member, pastors or congregational officers need to contact Maria Rodas,
Data and Events Manager/Administrative Supervisor, at
[email protected] or 212-870-2387.
The Metropolitan New York Synod strongly recommends that all attendees of our 2023 annual assembly receive the COVID-19 vaccine—however, proof of vaccination is not required. Although face masks are no longer mandatory at our synodical events, we encourage their use. Additionally, we will provide COVID-19 tests, face masks, and hand sanitizer stations at the assembly. If you experience symptoms of COVID-19 before or during the assembly, we kindly ask that you refrain from attending any shared spaces and contact Maria Rodas at
[email protected] to request a reimbursement for your registration. For more information on the cleanliness policy of the hotel, click
HERE for a message from the Marriott Hotel Cleanliness Council.
For more information regarding COVID-19, visit our MNYS COVID-19 Resources Pages
HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be Wi-Fi?
Yes! We are excited to be able to offer Wi-Fi again for our 2023 Synod Assembly. This will ensure our commitment to #LiveLikeChristInOurCommunities by being a paperless assembly.
If I don’t have a device, will I be provided one?
Unfortunately, we don’t have the capability to provide devices. You are responsible for your own device and are encouraged to either borrow one or plan to print items in advance. Please make sure your device is charged and ready before the plenary sessions. If the battery life of your device(s) is a concern, we recommend looking into a portable charger.
Do I have to pay to register?
Payment at the time of registration is preferred, but you may choose to send a check after registering. Please note that payment is due by the end of the registration period: March 7 for early registration or April 17 for regular registration.
What if a registered voting member won’t be able to attend?
Register an alternate voting member. If you want the registration fees refunded, ensure you are familiar with our
Payment and Cancelation Policy.
How many people from my congregation can attend?
The number of voting members from each congregation depends on their membership and type. Details are found
HERE.
Additionally, we encourage anyone to attend as a visitor.
Do Synod Council Members count toward my congregation’s total number of voting members?
No. Since they are elected by the assembly, they attend as a synod council member without changing the number of eligible voting members from a congregation.
Do retired ordained ministers get a discount?
Yes, but they must complete their registration before April 17,
HERE, or contact Maria Rodas at
[email protected] or 212-870-2387.
How do I know if I am registered?
When your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. Please check your spam or junk email folder if you did not receive a confirmation email. If you are still unsure, contact Maria Rodas at
[email protected] or 212-870-2387 to confirm your registration.
How do I receive tax-exempt status for my hotel accommodations?
Individuals and congregations are responsible for their own accommodations. See more about what Marriott Melville requires to honor tax-exempt status,
HERE.