Synod Assembly in action
Reporting to Synod Assembly

SA 2024: 1 June 2024
Contents
  • SA 2024: 1 June 2024
  • Repeating some things from last year
  • Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports
    • (Re)submitting a written report
    • Limited formatting options
    • Hypertext embeds
      • Livestream, Zoom, etc.
  • At the assembly
    • Oral reports
    • Workshops, round tables, etc.
    • Handouts
    • Exhibits

Report Submission Deadline:
  15 April 2024

Synod Assembly 2024 will be held Saturday, 1 June 2024, at the Mon County 4H Center, Mylan Park, near Morgantown, WV.

Repeating some things from last year

Last year marked a major departure from our usual approach to Synod Assembly. The pandemic was a major factor. Seeing that we are still managing pandemical issues and being relatively pleased with the way things went last year---not everything was perfect, but it went better than expected in most ways---we are repeating some of the measures and making some tweaks. Some of those things affect those who make reports.

  • SA 2024 is planned as a one-day event.
    • There will be two meetings (one before lunch and one after lunch) as part of the session. BTW, we often get the terms meeting and session reversed. The typical synod assembly is one session over two days with three meetings (one Friday afternoon, one Saturday morning, and one Saturday afternoon).
    • There is always the possibility of an adjourned meeting, but that is at the will of the assembly as to time and place. Such an adjourned meeting may be ordered
      • if required business is not completed by the end of the day, or
      • if the Synod Assembly desires an adjourned meeting to tackle business that is not required by our governing documents and rules.
  • Podium time will be limited in the proposed agenda.
    • Oral reports and business required under our governing documents and rules will be on the proposed agenda.
    • Those business activities (e.g., resolutions and memorials) that are of the rights of the assembly under RONR will be on the proposed agenda.
    • Those oral reports that are not required under our governing documents and rules will not be on the proposed agenda, but may be ordered by the assembly.

As in past years, the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports includes options for inclusion of hypertext links for

  • websites/pages
  • downloadable documents
  • Youtube videos
  • etc.

The more adventurous and tech savvy may want to consider a live stream event.  More on this further down this page.

Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports
Help us plan for the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports by completing this online form:

Some agencies, institutions, ministries, etc. are required to report to the Synod Assembly. Others have a longstanding tradition of reporting even though it has been optional. If you are in either of those categories, please read the following carefully.

Submission deadline for the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports is close of Monday, 15 April 2023.

Submitting a written report

We will still have a pre-assembly bulletin of reports, and you are invited to contribute a report for that bulletin. We ask you to complete a short online form (WV-WMD SA 2024: Report Query) to assist us in compiling that bulletin.

Important: When submitting a report,

  • email to Bishop@WV-WMD.org;
  • begin the subject line with "SA Report: " followed by your institution, agency, ministry, office, etc.; and
  • if you do not receive confirmation of receipt, contact the bishop (first by email and, then, by phone if there is no email response within a few days—things do sometimes end up in the spam box).

Limited formatting power

Our online platform employed for the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports has limited formatting features. Think of this like the old days when images, fancy diagrams, and cool formatting were not standard. Whether you send your report in PDF, MS-Word, Word Perfect, RTF, or TXT, we will be cutting and pasting on our end. Be merciful to us; we beg you!

We reserve the right not to include images we deem gratuitous. We will attempt to convert charts and diagrams to image files, but resolution cannot be guaranteed. It may be best for you to take advantage of the hypertext embed option.

Hypertext embeds

As mentioned, we can embed hypertext links. Feel free to go wild with respect to website/page referrals, downloadable documents, youtube and media sites, social media links, etc. Be sure to provide the raw URL (because we can't make the hypertext link unless we know the URL). If you have a lot of these, however, it would make our lives a whole lot easier if you would create a webpage (to serve as a landing page) with all those links that we can provide just one link to.

Live stream, Zoom etc.

If you wish to offer a live stream or Zoom-type videoconference to the members of the Synod Assembly, use your report in the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports as a place to advertise/announce and to provide the necessary weblinks and/or login information. We cannot guarantee it at this time, but we are investigating whether we can provide a launch pad on our Synod Assembly website to advertise such things. N.B., we will not provide the hosting. Hosting is up to you. Since the Pre-Assembly Bulletin of Reports is not published until 10 days before the assembly convenes, you will have to consider what timing works for you.

At the assembly

Oral reports

As mentioned, only required oral reports will be on the proposed agenda. Likewise, live or pre-recorded video reports will not be shown at the assembly. It is your option to mount such things on the web, and we will embed hypetext links to them in your written report.

Workshops, round tables, etc.

No workshops are scheduled for this year. On the other hand, a 90-minute lunch is being proposed. During that time, anyone is free to gather interested parties for presentation and/or conversation. The assembly chamber will not be available except by the consent of the chair (because there may be assembly-related business taking place in the chamber over lunch). There is, however, a great deal of room under the outdoor pavilion, and it may be possible to give you an area or reserve you a table. If you are thinking about using the outdoor pavilion, visit our Exhibiting at Synod Assembly page.

Feel free to feed people if it is to your advantage. Lunch (i.e., food) is not included as part of the assembly. What's the old maxim? "Feed them, and they will come?" There will be plenty of room under the pavilion (though we aren't sure how many tables and chairs we will have in that space) for eating or other activities. There are also dozens of dining options within a reasonable drive of the venue. We expect that many will scatter for lunch, and you, likewise, are free to invite people to a local dining establishment. Even picnicking on the grounds of Mylan Park is not out of the question.

Handouts

We discontinued the "assembly packet" a few years back. We will not receive by mail items for distribution to the assembly except by prior arrangement. Distribution at the assembly requires the consent of either the Synod Secretary or the Committee for Reference & Counsel. Approved exhibitors may distribute materials at their respective exhibits with implied consent (which may be withdrawn by the Synod Secretary or the Committee for Reference & Council).


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Last update: 7 November 2024