WV-WMD Synod Assembly 2023: Registration Guide

This guide is will likely grow as the registration process for Synod Assembly 2023 progresses. You input will help. If there is a question about completing registration or something unclear in the instructions, email the Registrar (Registrar@WV-WMD.org).

This guide is in main two parts (with appendices for the second part):

FAQ (frequently asked questions) and
Line-by-line instructions and clarifications

Click here to access the online Synod Assembly Registration form.

FAQ

The attendee does not have internet (or has trouble completing a web-based form). Can someone else register online for the attendee?: Yes. The very first question on the form asks who is completing the registration. If someone other than the attendee is completing the form, that person will be asked to complete the "registration by surrogate" section.

Can I register for more than one person?: Yes.

Does each registrant need a unique (his/her own) email address?: No. We made a change in 2021, eliminating the need for each registrant to have a unique email address. More than one registrant can "share" the same email address. We only ask that whoever gets communications sent to that address share those communication with everyone else registered under that address.

What if an attendee does not have email (or internet access)?: We ask that someone be an intermediary, passing on assembly-related communications, information, documents, etc. to the attendee. There is a section on the registration form related to this. In (what we hope are) rare cases, the Registrar may contact the attendee (or surrogate) to work out an alternative approach for communication between the synod and the attendee.

Why is there no place to pay a registration fee?: There is no registration fee! Synod Assembly is free this year (as it was last year).

Line-by-Line

We're not going to cover every line, but we are trying to hit those that we either think need more explanation or that people have told us need more explanation. If you don't see a section on your registration form, don't get flustered; the "branching logic" in the form is such that, depending upon your answers as you go, some sections will be asked and others won't. Feel free to let us know if something needs to be added to this guide.

Section	Question	Commentary
§3. Name of Attendee	Q9. Nickname	We're not really looking for things like "Jimmy" instead of "James" or "Betty" instead of "Elizabeth," but we can put that on your name tag. It's not uncommon for folks to have names they go by that look nothing like their legal name. So, here's the plan: if you put something in the nickname field, we'll put it on your name tag. So, be careful what you enter. BTW, pastors, don't put "Rev" or "Pr" on your form. It messes up our processing.
§4. Contact Information for Attendee	Q14. Is your mailing city/state the same as your city/state of residence?	Some folks maintain PO boxes in towns other than where they live. Some live in communities that aren't identified with a postal city. Your residential city is where you live. If it is not the same as the name of the city the USPS uses, answer, "no," and tell us where you live. When we print the roster of attendees, we'll print your residential address if it is not the same as your mailing address.
	Q17. Email address	This is not a required field because some people do not have email addresses. The Registrar will notice if you do not have an email address and cross-reference that with the rest of your registration to determine how best to communicate with you. We will not publish your email address. So, please, if you have one, provide it because that will be the primary means of communication from us to you.
	Q18. Phone number	This is not a required field because some people do not have phone numbers. The Registrar will notice if you do not have an email address, please provide a phone number. We will not publish your phone number. So, please, if you have one, provide it because it will be our backup means of communication with you.
§5. Communication for Attendee	Q22. Who will assist you in receiving/accessing Synod Assembly information?	If you don't know who will assist you, leave the field blank. We'll notice your answer to Q21 and try to assist you in making appropriate arrangements.
	Q23. Email address of assistant	If you don't know this, at least provide the phone number of the person who will assist you so that we can make contact.
	Q24. Phone number of assistant	Providing this as a backup to the email address is a good idea.
§6. Standing in Assembly	Q25. Standing in Assembly	This may be the most confusing part of the registration form. We need to know for parliamentary reasons who's who and what role they're in. If you are confused or unsure, click here for a fuller discussion.
§8. Clergy	Q27. Roster	If you are confused or unsure, click here for a fuller discussion.
§17. Service Opportunities	Q38. I would be willing to help with	We've tried to provide a quick list, but it is possible that the names and terms are unfamiliar (or the precise duties aren't known). Here's a Who's Who and What's What that might shed more light.

Standing in Assembly

Standing has to do with whether one has voice and vote in the assembly. Some people are enfranchised, i.e., they have both voice and vote. Others are accorded voice but not vote. So, attendees are classed one of three ways.

Voting Member	Voice and Vote	Enfranchised clergy (see below) Lay Voting Members elected by their respective congregations Synod Council Officers Synod Councilors
Advisory Member	Voice but not vote	Clergy accorded voice but not vote (see below) Churchwide Representative Those accorded voice but not vote by the Synod Council or Synod Assembly
Visitor	Neither voice nor vote	Pretty much everybody else.

It's entirely possible that you may still be confused (because this can be confusing). Clergy, especially, come in so many varieties, that we've included a separate section to talk about them (below). If you need assistance, call the Registrar (304-363-4030) or email (Registrar@WV-WMD.org).

Clergy and the Franchise

Clergy enfranchisement is one of the more confusing (even byzantine) aspects of Synod Assembly. Let's see if we can make sense of it. If you need assistance, call the Registrar (304-363-4030) or email (Registrar@WV-WMD.org). Please note the footnotes.

Roster	Status	Example	Rule	Register SA 2021
ELCA WV-WMD Synod	Under congregational letter of call	The typical pastorate or deaconate in a congregation. Does not include interim pastors or contractors unless there is a letter of call from a different congregation.	†S7.21	Voting \| Clergy \| Congregational
	Under Synod Council letter of call	Specialized ministries including Campus Ministry, SMO, DEM, etc.. You know who you are.	†S7.21	Voting \| Clergy\| Synodical
	Under Church Council of the ELCA letter of call	This most commonly applies to seminary faculty who are rostered with our synod, but there are some other cases as well. You know who you are.	†S7.21	Voting \| Clergy \| Churchwide
	Retired	N.B., retired, here, does not mean retired with Portico. It means "retired status" on the roster of ministers. It is possible to be retired as far as Portico is concerned and, at the same time, be under a letter of call. It is also possible to be serving a congregation under contract (or interim appointment) and be retired status on the roster of ministers. If you are not sure, contact the Registrar.	S7.22 / B7.08	Voting \| Clergy \| Retired
	On Leave		S7.22 / CR 2.01	Advisory \| Other*
	Disabled		S7.22	Advisory \| Other*
	Synod Council Officer/Member not under letter of call	If the minister does not have a letter of call but is an elected Synod Officer or Synod Councilor, the minister qualifies here.	S7.28	Voting \| Clergy \| Synod Officer/Councilor
ELCA but not WV-WMD Synod	Presiding Bishop or Churchwide Representative		†S7.23	Advisory \| Churchwide Representative
	Serving a WV-WMD Synod ministry without WV-WMD letter of call	Retired and On Leave clergy who are on the roster of another synod but still serve a WV-WMD ministry under contract (usually with an interim appointment).		Advisory \| Other†
	Not serving a WV-WMD Synod ministry			Visitor
Full-Communion Partner	Serving an ELCA ministry with Synod Council invitation for ecumenical service		S7.27 / CR 2.02	Advisory \| Ecumenical Clergy‡
	Not serving a WV-WMD Synod ministry			Visitor
Church that is not in full-communion but accepts Unaltered Augsburg Confession	Serving an ELCA ministry with Synod Council dispensation for local altar & pulpit fellowship		CR 2.03	Advisory \| Ecumenical Clergy‡
	Not serving a WV-WMD Synod ministry			Visitor
Church that is not in full-communion and does not accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession	Serving an ELCA ministry with Synod Council dispensation		CR 2.03	Advisory \| Ecumenical Clergy‡
	Not serving a WV-WMD Synod ministry			Visitor

*Under our rules, your enfranchisement is conditional. Synod Council has the prerogative to enfranchise (and always has before), but, until you have been informed otherwise, please register as "Advisory | Other," indicating in the other field the applicable circumstance. You may contact the Registrar in prior to registration and ask for Synod Council action on a request for enfranchisement. The Registrar will advise you on how to proceed at that point.

†Synod Council has the prerogative of enfranchising you. Until you have been informed otherwise, please register as "Advisory | Other," indicating in the other field the applicable circumstance. You may contact the registrar in prior to registration and ask for Synod Council action on a request for enfranchisement. The Registrar will advise you on how to proceed at that point.

‡Depending upon the circumstances, Synod Council has the prerogative of enfranchising you. Until you have been informed otherwise, please register as "Advisory | Other," indicating in the other field the applicable circumstance. You may contact the registrar in prior to registration and ask for Synod Council action on a request for enfranchisement. The Registrar will advise you on how to proceed at that point.

Who's Who and What's What

Some terms used for people and things at Synod Assembly are common. Others are less well-known. Let's list some. If there is something you think should be on the list, contact the Registrar (304-363-4030) or email (Registrar@WV-WMD.org). Same goes if you would like more information. We're listing them by the categories used on the registration form.

We may or may not use any or all of these, the decision to use or not being informed by the circumstances of the assembly.

Elections

Teller: A teller count things (in this case ballots). In the past, a group of people were selected as Elections Committee members and required to count all the ballots. We're changing things this year. The Elections Committee will have an oversight nand management role while the tellers will do the actually counting under the committee supervision. Instead of a handful of tellers, there will be a large pool of tellers, much like a jury pool. It is hoped that an individual teller will not have to count count in every single election, unless we only have two, for example. The first round of the election for bishop and the first general ballot will require several tellers, but subsequent ballots will require fewer.
Elections Committee Member: An Elections Committee member oversees and manages elections, including counting. When there are ambiguous votes, the Elections Committee acts as election judges.

Ushers etc.

Sergeant-at-Arms/Warden/Warrant Officer: Supervises the entire team under this category. Maintains order as necessary. Sees to the correction of deficiencies in the arrangements of the assembly chamber.
Doorkeeper: Ensures that those entering the assembly chamber are authorized to do so. At the same time, ensures that voting members sit before the bar of the assembly and advisory members and visitors behind the bar of the assembly. When the assembly chamber is sealed (as went votes are being taken), ensures that no one enters the voting members area before the bar of the assembly, and, if necessary, seals the chamber as a whole.
Usher: Assists in the movement of people at the assembly. Assists in the distribution of written material and in the collection of ballots, offerings, etc.. Assists the doorkeepers as needed.
Page: Assists the secretary of the assembly, the chair, the clerk, and the committee chairs in the transmission of messages and documents. A page should never be a voting member.

Registration

Registrar: Responsible for the registration of assembly attendees. Heads the registration committee and registration team. Maintains the register of attendees as the assembly progresses, reporting as required on the registration statistics of the assembly.
Registration Desk Worker: Processes, under the supervision of the registrar, those registering their attendance at the assembly.
Registration Committee Member: Supervises the registration processes. Assists in the adjudication of credentials. Assists in the credentialing of alternates.

Tech

Sound Technician: Maintains the sound system (microphones, amplifiers, etc.), ensuring that they are in working order, and operates (or supervises others in the operation of) the sound system.
Projectionist: Maintains projection equipment, ensuring that it is in working order, and operates (or supervises others in the operation of) projection equipment.
Videographer: Maintains videography equipment, ensuring that it is in working order, and operates (or supervises others in the operation of) the same. Prepares (or supervises others in the preparation) of the videograph of the assembly for upload to the web. If possible, broadcasts the assembly.
Photographer: Photographs the assembly and transmits photos to the Synod Office.

Minutes

Minutes Committee Member (Recorder): Assists the synod secretary in taking minutes of the assembly when in session. Recorders take turns at the minutes desk, usually sitting for no more than two hours. The recorder is asked to use a laptop or tablet, recording the minutes in a format determined by the synod secretary.

Office

Clerk of the Assembly: The Clerk of the Assembly is the head clerical worker, managing the assembly office, processing documents, making copies, etc., or overseeing the same.
Clerk: A clerk assists the Clerk of the Assembly as directed.

Hospitality

Steward of the Assembly: The Steward of the Assembly is in charge of local arrangements, including hospitality services (information, beverage service, etc.).
Steward: A steward assists the Steward of the Assembly. This can include providing beverage service and snacks, providing information about local options for dining, lodging, and recreation, assisting assembly staff in accessing local resources, providing transportation for dignitaries, etc..

Worship

Chaplain: Overseas all worship appointments and services.
Verger: Maintains order during worship services at the direction of the chaplain.
Sacristan: Arranges for and maintains worship vessels, vestments, and paraments at the direction of the chaplain.
Lector: Reads lessons as directed by the Chaplain.
Acolyte: Assists the chaplain with candles, processions, and execution of the liturgy.
Musician: Instrumentalist and/or vocalist who supports the worship service with music.

Legislation

Parliamentarian: Assists the chair in matters of parliamentary law and procedure.
Committee on Reference & Counsel: Reviews all resolutions and memorials submitted to the assembly, making recommendation to the assembly with respect to disposition. Provides alternative pathway for the approval of materials for distribution to assembly members. Advises the assembly on matters referred to it.
Committee on Resolutions: Serves as a drafting committee when called upon by the assembly. Reviews reports and other matters before the assembly, reporting to the assembly its recommendations at its own discretion.
Committee on the Bishop's Report: Reviews the Report of the Bishop and makes recommendations to the assembly on the same.

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