Listening with Love: Foundations of Pastoral Care

"Listening with Love" is designed to equip faith leaders (both lay and clergy) with practical skills and perspectives to provide Christ-centered, compassionate, effective pastoral care with those in congregations and communities who are struggling: from trauma, health issues, mental illness, loss, financial issues, addiction, etc. The upcoming session will be held 17 May 2025 at St. James Lutheran Church, Uvilla, WV. For more information, visit our Education for Clergy & Laity page.

Synod Council Synopsis

Synod Assembly Registration Open!

Registration is now open for Synod Assembly 2025! Synod Assembly will convene 31 May 2025 in Morgantown, WV. Click here for details and registration.

Deadline for Resolutions & Memorials Approaching

Though the deadline is not until May 11, it is wise to make submissions well in advance. Click here for rules and procedures related to resolutions and memorials.

Who's Your Congregational Lay Voting Member? It Might Be Your!

Per our rules, those elected by their respective congregations to serve as lay voting members of the Synod Assembly remain lay voting members until replaced by their congregations or otherwise disqualified. If you have been a congregational lay voting member in the past, you may still be (if your congregation has not formally replaced you). Review our roster of congregational lay voting members to find out.

Report of the Nominating Committee

The report of the Nominating Committee has been posted thirteen days ahead of schedule. You may access it from the Nominations page.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments Before Synod Assembly 2025

Synod Assembly will consider amendments to the Constitution of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod. Six-month notice was given per the rules, but we repost them here.

Proposed Amendments to Governing Documents Before Churchwide Assembly 2025

Churchwide Assembly 2025 will consider a series of amendments to the governing documents of this church, including the Constitution for Synods and the Model Constitution for Congregations. The proposed amendments are posted on our Polity page.

Church Council Responds to CRLC

The Church Council of the ELCA received the report of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church at its April meeting. You may review its response, including actions taken and matters being forwarded to Churchwide Assembly 2025 on our CRLC page.

Bishop Eaton's Easter Message

Bishop Eaton's Easter message has been posted on Youtube. Click here to view.

Camp Luther Registration Open

Camper registration for Camp Luther 2025 is now open. Visit our Camping & Outdoor Ministries page for access to Camp Luther's online registration. You will also find there access to Caroline Furnace and Camp Agapé information.

Liturgy and Worship Appointments for Easter

Looking for guidance on how to decorate your church for the Easter season? Trying to figure out whether to sing the Gloria or the Dignus est? Search no longer. Our worship aids, accessible through our Worship page, contain a wealth of information and some tips.

Of special note would be the guidance on the use of the Paschal candle during the Easter season. While it burns for the next several weeks, there are rules as to when it is extinguished for the last time. There are also practices surrounding lighting it and extinguishing it on any given day during the season by which the Paschal candle supports our Easter devotion. Visit our Paschal Candle page to learn more about these specifics and plenty of other items from the origin of its name to its incising.

Jeff Allen Retires from WVCC

After nearly two decades of dedicated leadership with the West Virginia Council of Churches, The Rev. Jeff Allen has retired. His tenure as Executive Director was marked by a steadfast commitment to ecumenical collaboration, social justice, and compassionate service, leaving a lasting impact on churches and communities across the state. Allen has been accorded the title Executive Director Emeritus, and to further honor his ministry and legacy, a newly established endowment fund at the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia will support child health initiatives and other vital activities of the West Virginia Council of Churches. For full story and information on how you can contribute the endowment, click here.

Scouting

Scouting for Children in Foster and Kinship Care — Free

An initiative allowing children in foster and kinship care to join scouting programs for free and paying for associated costs, including uniforms and field trips has been launched in West Virginia because children in foster and kinship care can benefit greatly from structured programs that teach life skills, build confidence, and create a safe, caring environment. Learn more on our Camping & Outdoor Ministry page.

Chaplains Sought for Jambo 2026

Jamboree returns to West Virginia in 2026, and chaplains are being sought. Visit our Camping & Outdoor Ministry page.

Scouting in the Lutheran Church

National Lutheran Association on Scouting is holding an event this July for anyone who would like to learn more about scouting and how to connect it to the life of Lutherans and their congregations. Click here for more.

Network in the East

A three-day gathering in Gettysburg for congregational youthworkers (staff and volunteer) is being offered 7-9 August 2025. Details the synod's Youth page.

Call Openings

We have one MSP active at the moment. We also have some settings in which a call could be considered without an active MSP. On top of that, there is potential for contract appointments. With several clergy vacancies across the territory, there are opportunities for clergy interested in serving in the WV-WMD Synod. Visit the clergy page to find out what's available (or will be available once the MSP is completed).

If you haven't checked out the members portal...

Don't forget to take a peek of the members portal (click the button at right near the top of this page). It's not password protected. We only call it the "members portal" because it's mostly stuff that deals with the internal workings of the synod. Visitors looking for more general information about the synod, will probably find the "guest portal" more interesting.

Synod Website Updates

The synod website updates frequently (as in often) and irregularly (as in not on a particular schedule). Click here (or on the picture at right) to find out what has been recently updated.