West Virginia - Western Maryland Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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The Education for Clergy
& Laity page serves as one-stop shop for
continuing education offerings. It is extensive.
The Fall 2024 Synod Clergy Continuing Education Event is
set for 22-24 October 2024 under the theme "Preaching in
the Wake of Mass Trauma." Click here
for more info.
Health & Wellness
The Clergy Wellness page is
expanding. Check out the latest information about Portico
changes for 2025 and take time to review the many benefits
and services that are part of your Portico plan.
Clergy Compensation Kit 2025
Clergy compensation guidelines for 2025 (and information
on the current and past guidelines) has been posted! Visit
the Clergy Compensation page.
Supply
Preaching
Looking for a supply preacher?
If you need coverage, you will find a list supply
preachers (and ordained presbyters for Eucharistic
services) on our Supply
Preaching & Presiding page.
Are you listed as a supply preacher?
If you are clergy available for supply
preaching/presiding does +Riegel know? During the
high-water mark of the pandemic, several preachers took
themselves off the supply list. If your status has
changed, contact +Riegel.
Clergy Transition
Welcome: Palzer
The Rev. Jack Palzer is now serving St. John's Lutheran
Church, Redhouse, MD, as interim pastor, with a portion of
his time being contracted by the synod through St. John's,
for consultation work on the Mountaintop. Palzer served 28
years as the pastor of Calvary Ruskin, FL, from which he
retired in 2022. He is a 1980 graduate of Seminex, loves
to travel internationally, and has a passion for youth
ministry.
Installation: Ames
The Rev. Devin Ames was installed as Pastor of First English Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Cooperative Ministries on 16 November 2025 at its shared site with Trinity Lutheran Church, So. Wheeling. Bishop Emeritus Ralph Dunkin served as installing officer, and Bishop Riegel preached.Requiescat in pace: Wick
A memorial service was held for The Rev. Jeffrey Wick on 8 November 2024 in Logan, WV. Wick died 30 October 2024. Wick served two pastorates in the WV-WMD Synod, first at Trinity Lutheran Church, Weirton, and then St. Paul Lutheran Church, Huntington, WV, before taking a call as Assistant to the Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod. The Rev. Ron Schlak presided, and The Rev. Jim Kinsler preacherd. Both preacher and presider served as pastors in WV-WMD. Full obituary (including information on memorial gifts) is posted on the Wellman Funeral Homes webpage.Processes
Entering Mobility
Pastors looking to enter mobility (whether intrasynodical or extrasynodical) should contact the bishop. The Rostered Minister Profile (quondam "Roster Leader Profile" and "mobility form"), other forms, and supporting instructions are available at ELCA.org's Rostered Ministers page. Click on the link you will find there, and it will take you to your login screen. If for any reason, you need your Rostered Leader Number, contact the bishop.Guidance: Process for Leaving a
Call
There are things to do when leaving a call. You will find
guidance and documents to facilitate the process on our Pastoral Transition &
Vacancy page.
Opportunities
Opportunities for Ordained Ministry
in WV-WMD
Are you a member of the clergy of the ELCA (or
full-communion partner) interested in learning more about
WV-WMD? Do you know someone who might be? Drop us a line.
You can email +Riegel at
Bishop@WV-WMD.org or call the office (304-363-4030). There
is plenty to commend service and life in our mountains and
in our valleys. Like Nebraska, it's not for everyone, but,
for those who aren't afraid of an adventure, we have a
great mix of challenge and gift. A list of openings can be
viewed by visiting our Pulpit Vacancies
page (or click on the table at right). You will find there
opportunities for congregational ministry and also any
specialized ministries that might be open at the moment.
Rites
Ordinations and installations are not the worship
services that a congregation (or clergy) does on a regular
basis. To assist those involved with such things a page of
guidance is under development. Information for
installation is already up. Click here
to review.
Rostered Leader Debt Reduction
$3242 in debt reduction grants were awarded to clergy of
the WV-WMD synod for the FY2023-2024 cycle.
The WV-WMD Synod has conducted a rostered leader debt reduction program since 2002. Through this program, pastors and deacons with educational debt can be assisted with payment on the principal. The Rostered Leader Debt Reduction Fund is supported by voluntary contributions from individuals, congregations, church-related auxiliaries, and a line item in the synod budget. The amount in the fund is expended each fiscal year as direct payments to lending agencies. Guidelines for the Rostered Leader Debt Reduction Program can be downloaded here.
Apply for RLDR Grant
Applications for a debt reduction grant for the FY2024-2025 cycle will open in early December 2024.
All clergy with educational debt are encouraged to review the guidelines (supra) and make application if they meet the application criteria. Download the RLDR application here.
Donate to RLDR Fund
Donations to the Rostered Leader Debt Reduction Fund can be routed through your congregation or sent directly to the Synod at the following address with a notation on the memo line indicating "Rostered Leader Debt Reduction Fund:"
West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod
℅ St. Paul Lutheran Church
309 Baldwin Street
Morgantown, WV 26505
You may also donate
online. We use PayPal, but you don't need a PayPal
account. PayPal accepts several major credit cards.
Reports
Parochial Report
*C9.12(b). The pastor of this congregation: shall submit a summary of such statistics annually to the synod.
A dedicated page for parochial reports has been uploaded.
This should help you share information with your
congregational leaders. Click here to
access the Research & Evaluation page.
Rostered Minister's Report to Bishop: Due 3 March 2024
The governing documents of our church state the
following:
S14.15. Each minister of Word and Sacrament on the roster of this synod shall submit a report of his or her ministry to the bishop of the synod at least 90 days prior to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.
*C9.13. The pastor(s) shall submit a report of his or her ministry to the bishop of the synod at least 90 days prior to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly.
Many WV-WMD clergy have already submitted their reports.
For those that were waiting, 3 March 2024 was the
deadline. Of course, we will take them late. An
acceptable report form may be downloaded from the ELCA
Office of the Secretary Website, but you may submit a
report of your own devising. The report form is in PDF. Be
sure to save the report before exiting or you will lose
your information. After completing, email to
Bishop@WV-WMD.org with the subject line, "Rostered
Minister Report." If you have questions about how to
complete the report, contact +Riegel. To download the ELCA
form, click
here.
℅ St. Paul Lutheran Church, 309 Baldwin Street, Morgantown, WV 26505
304-363-4030 + Porter@WV-WMD.org