Clergy Compensation
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
Click
here to explore.
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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West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod, ℅
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 309 Baldwin Stee, Morgantown, WV
26505
304-363-4030 + Porter@WV-WMD.org
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