Secretary Memo

MEMORANDUM

TO: All Ordained Ministers, Rostered Leaders, and Congregations and Authorized Worshipping Communities' Officers of the Metropolitan New York Synod

FROM: The Rev. Robert Schoepflin, Secretary of the MNYS

DATE: April 24, 2021

RE: 2021 Synod Assembly

On behalf of the Synod Council of the Metropolitan New York Synod, I announce to you that our 2021 annual assembly will be held August 20-21, 2021.

The theme for our digital assembly is We Are Church Together. These past couple of years have been a challenging time for all our siblings in Christ, and we will use this time to be together as Church and reflect together about our future. 

We care about the well-being of all our members. For this reason we will hold this assembly online — with an efficient agenda and enough breaks to avoid digital-conference fatigue. 

The registration fees are as follows:

• $75 per voting member
• $75 per visitor

Payment must be received by July 19, 2021. Visitors will have the option to watch the livestream of the assembly, for free, via MNYS Facebook and YouTube channels. 

These registration fees will help support assembly expenses related to the different voting and elections platforms needed to support a legislative event of this nature. In addition, these fees will help provide worship resources, and necessary videos and materials for our time together. For more information regarding registration fees, please read this letter from Liz Hoffman, chair of the Assembly Planning Committee. 

For assistance, please contact Kaitlin Kowalec at 212-870-2382 or [email protected], Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 am to 5 pm. ​

The following formula has been adopted for the election of voting members by congregations and authorized worshiping communities based on the current year’s congregational statistics:

• Congregations Up To 699 Baptized Members
  • 2 lay voting members
• Congregations of 700-999 Baptized Members
  • 3 lay voting members
• Congregations of 1,000 or More Baptized Members
  • 4 lay voting members
• Authorized Worshiping Communities
  • 1 lay voting member

All congregations are encouraged to submit registrations for alternate voting members (at no cost) to account for changes.

ELCA ordained ministers (ELCA Deacons and Pastors) rostered in our synod, who are unable to attend the assembly, must submit an excusal form HERE.

Thank you for your continuing partnership and I'm looking forward to our time together!