West Virginia - Western Maryland Synod
(14 October 2024)
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Contents
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Clergy compensation guidelines for 2025 have been posted
on the Clergy Compensation page.
Mission Support
All things mission support are posted on our Mission
Support page, including
- mission support request for 2025
- remittance forms,
- commitment (pledge) forms, and
- a little synodical mission support history
Grants for Congregations
DEM Sherri Schafer has emailed to the synod clergy a list
of three grant opportunities for congregations.
ELCA Disability Ministries
For this grant, congregations apply directly. You do not
need to go through the DEM. For more information, click here.
As explained by ELCA Disability Ministries:
Grant applicants must follow the guidelines below to be eligible to receive grant funding through Disability Ministries.
All applicants seeking funds from Disability Ministries must demonstrate how the request or initiative addresses at least one of the following goals:
- Raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church and preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities.
- Equipping our synods, congregations and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.
- Gathering and connecting people with disabilities and various groups in the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive and whole community of faith.
Additionally, all applicants must show that they have or are actively building a relationship with people in their settings who live with disabilities.
This church wants to move beyond the attitude that “if we build it, they will come.” So, for example, don’t request funding for a ramp simply for the sake of installing one; instead, explain how your project would benefit disabled people in your setting and your ministry, and enrich your mutual relationship as disciples of Jesus Christ.
We will award grants in the range of $5,000-$10,000, for a total of $50,000. Previous applicants who were not funded may reapply.
The application window opened May 28 and will close July 31, or earlier if we have received 30 completed applications. Projects receiving grants will be announced before the end of October 2024.
ELCA Evangelism Initiatives
The Christian Community and Leadership Program Unit of
the ELCA is offering new grants in three different
categories, These grants must be applied for through the
DEM. For details on application, criteria, etc., click here. As explained by by the
Christian Community and Leadership Program Unit:
Evangelism Initiatives
The Gospel compels the Church to always share the good news of Jesus Christ. Evangelism initiatives are meant to add and enhance more ways God’s people can engage in evangelism through congregations and synod work.
These grants support congregations, conferences and/or synods throughout the ELCA as they share the good news of Jesus Christ. Preference is given to lay-led initiatives and training opportunities for evangelism.
Congregational Outreach Ministries (COM)
The purpose of a Congregational Outreach Ministry (COM) is evangelism. These are congregation-based and centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries located in congregations.
Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM)
The purpose of a Synod Authorized Outreach Ministry (SAOM) is evangelism. These are synod-based and authorized, centered in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through intentional, invitational discipleship and/or outreach ministries.
Calvin Institute for Christian
Worship: Worshiping Communities
The Calvin Institute offers grants for vital worship and
vital preaching initiatives. Any congregation may apply
for these grants. For more information, click here.
Research & Evaluation
Congregation Pulse Surveys
The Office of Research and Evaluation is rolling out a
new instrument this year, the Congregation Pulse Survey.
Replacing Form C, these quarterly surveys will sample
congregations of the ELCA on a variety of topics. For more
information, visit our Research
& Evaluation page.
Parochial Reports
*C9.12(b). The pastor of this congregation: shall submit a summary of such statistics annually to the synod.
The online system for 2023 Form A and Form C submissions
has opened.
For more information on the Parochial Report and access
for filing your congregation's parochial report, visit our
Research & Evaluation
page.
New Page for Research & Evaluation
We've radically redesigned the Parochial Reports page. Now it includes information on the Congregation Pulse Survey and access to resources provided by Research & Evaluation, e.g., the number crunching and reporting of the results of Parochial Report submissions. Visit our Research & Evaluation page to explore.
Church & Taxes
Portico provides a guide to help congregations understand their federal tax requirements. You can download, at no cost, Federal Reporting Requirements for Churches from either myPortico or EmployerLink.
Mutual Ministry Committee and
the Driesen Manual
At the direction of the Synod Assembly 2021, the Synod
Mutual Ministry Committee is promulgating the Driesen
Manual as a resource for mutual ministry committee work.
Learn more here.
Supply
Preachers
Do you need coverage for a service? Click here for the Supply
Preacher page.Having trouble finding supply preachers? Apply To Be a Reader!
Having trouble finding supply preachers? In some parts of our territory, it's not easy. There simply aren't folks within a reasonable drive or the few that are are already engaged. To address this problem (as well as reform our longstanding Bishop Lay Worship Leaders Program, Synod Council has authorized the new Synodical Lay Worship Leaders Program, and the first license that is now being rolled out is the "reader" license.Readers do not prepare their own sermons. Instead, they select a sermon from a reputable source in consultation with an assigned supervisor. They also lead worship, using one of the approved liturgies (i.e., ante-communion, service of the Word, matins, or vespers). While it may be difficult to find a pastor or authorized lay preacher in your vicinity, it shouldn't be too hard to identify a trusted lay member (perhaps more than one) in your congregation and suggest licensure. To learn more about the program, visit the Synodical Lay Worship Leaders page.
Pastoral Transition & Vacancy Page
We has gathered together on one page items related to pastoral transitions (coming and going) and pastoral vacancy, but the material related to call process has grown, necessitating two pages. You can still start your exploration at the "transitions" page: check it out.
Polity for Congregations
We've uploaded a new constellation of pages related to
polity. You will find there
- Procedure in Small Boards
- Education & Training for Congregational Leaders
- Polity for Councils: A Crash Course for Congregational Councilors
- The Wild and Wonderful World of Procedure
- Parliamentary Authority: Robert's Rules of Order
- Congregation Meeting in Time of Pandemic
- Email Voting by Congregation Council
- Updating your Congregation's Constitution
- WV Congregations: Filing Your Trustees with the County
- Selling Church Property
- and more
COVID-19 Page
COVID-19 poses special challenges for congregations and their leadership. A special page has been set up on the synod web site for COVID-19 related information. Please visit WV-WMD.org/COVID-19 to access the latest material.Workshops & Presentations
The WV-WMD Synod offers workshops and presentations for
congregations on a variety of topics. The following are
currently available, but more will be added as time goes
on. If there is something you would like to see that is
not listed, contact Bishop Riegel. To make arrangements
for a presentation or workshop, email Bishop Riegel
(Bishop@WV-WMD.org).
Worship- Praying Compline
- Praying Matins
- Praying Vespers
- Tips for Singing Psalms
- Polity & Governance
- Intro to Roberts Rules of Order
- Updating Constitutions & Bylaws
- Theology, Bible, Ethics, and History
- Sanctification in a Lutheran Key
- The Rhetoric of First Corinthians
- A Theological Argument for the Political Animal
- German-speaking Lutherans in the Great War's America
- Making End of Life Decisions
- The History of the History of the Reformation
- The Geo-Politics of the Reformation
Events that have been scheduled can be found on the Synod's Education page.
A Seed Planted Mission Fund
Synod Assembly 1996 established “A Seed Planted” Mission
Fund to stimulate innovative outreach by or from
congregations. Awarded grants went for a range of
activities from a coffee house Bible study to printed
promotional material to efforts with unaffiliated
populations. To download information on the fund and
guidelines on application for a grant, click here.
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304-363-4030 + Porter@WV-WMD.org