Synod Polity
West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod

Updated: 27 March 2025

Governing Documents
Page Contents

The current governing documents of the WV-WMD Synod can be downloaded here. N.B., both the Constitution of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod and the Bylaws West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod were amended at Synod Assembly 2023. The amended constitution and bylaws are posted here.

For information regarding congregational governing documents, visit the Congregations page.

Synod Assembly

If you want to find out about Synod Assembly in general, visit the new Synod Assembly page. From there, you can access information about specific synod assemblies.

Officers

Terms begin for officers, synod councilors, and members of the Consultation Committee and the Discipline Committee on the first day of the third month following election. This lists below will be updated to reflect the change in seats at that time.

Office
 Occupant
 Term
 Term Period
Bishop
 The Rt. Rev. Matthew Lynn Riegel, S.T.M.
 2
 2021-2027
Vice President
 Nancy Weeks
 1
 2023-2027
Secretary
 Norma Gensler
 3
 2021-2025
Treasurer
 Jim Nichols
 1
 2023-2027

Synod Council

Synod Council meets regularly three to four times during the year with special meetings held, often by teleconference, as needed. The Synod Council is chaired by the vice president. The membership of the Synod Council includes the four officers of the synod and twelve voting members from around the synod, representing a balance of clergy and laity, geographical distribution, and age. The president of the synodical women's organization serves as an advisory member (with voice but not vote). "Until next regular assembly" indicates that a vacancy appointment has taken place, and those appointments continue until replaced by the next regular Synod Assembly and seated shortly thereafter according to the bylaws. New terms begin for Synod Council on 1 September 2024.

Seat
 Occupant
 Term
 Term Period
Clergy MVMC
 The Rev. Dr. Mary Sanders 1
 2024-2027
Clergy PC
 The Rev. Daniel Collins
 n/a
 vacancy appointment
Clergy OKVC
 The Rev. Tom Darr
 1
 2022-2025
Clergy UOVC
 The Rev. Sean Smith
 1
 2022-2025
Laity MVMC
 John Knoll
 1
 2022-2025
Laity PC
 Rick Losh
 2
 2024-2027
Laity OKVC
 Vivian Grate
 1
 2024-2027
Laity UOVC
 Marilyn Jacobs
 1
 2024-2027
Laity At-large
 A. J. Beckett 1
 2023-2026
Laity At-large
 Bruce Dalton
 2
 2024-2027
Young Adult
 Mackenzie Rice
 1
 2024-2027
Youth
 Evan Holbert
 1
 2024-2027
WELCA (Advisory)
 Priscilla Horner
 n/a
 n/a
ELCA Church Council
 The Rev. Tara Lynn
 n/a
 n/a

Boards appointed by Synod Council or Executive Committee

Executive Committee of the Synod Council

The four offices, one clergy member of the Synod Council, and two lay members of the Synod Council are appointed by the Synod Council to serve as the Executive Committee of the Synod Council. The ExComm is chaired by the synod vice president.

Seat
 Occupant
Bishop
 The Rt. Rev. Matthew Lynn Riegel, S.T.M.
Vice President
 Nancy Weeks
Secretary
 Norma Gensler
Treasurer
 Jim Nichols
Clergy
 The Rev. Daniel Collins
Laity 1
 Rick Losh
Laity 2
 Bruce Dalton

Candidacy Committee

The Candidacy Committee oversees candidates for the ministry, including reinstatements and reception of ministers from churches with whom the ELCA does not have a full-communion agreement. WV-WMD shares a joint candidacy committee with Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, the committee being called the Bisynodical Candidacy Committee. Both synods appoint their own members according to an agreement confected that the beginning of the ELCA. The current membership is The Rt. Rev. Matthew Riegel, The Rev. Sean Smith, The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle, Tamara Riegel, Jerry Bouquot, and Michael Grimm, and Julie Sandolfini.

Commission on Synodical Lay Worship Leadership

Charged with review of the Plan for Synodical Lay Worship Leadership, reporting back to Synod Council with recommendations, and with development of initial steps for implementation, an ad hoc committee of The Rev. Sean Smith (Chair), The Rev. Sally Bartling, and Stephanie Setley rendered valuable service. Its work being completed to the satisfaction of the Synod Council, the ad hoc committee was discharged by Synod Council at its April 2021 meeting, and new appointments made with The Rev. Sean Smith (chair), Paul Wangerin, The Rev. Ian Reid, and The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle.

Standing Committees Appointed by Synod Council or Executive Committee

Nominating Committee

Seat
 Occupant
Clergy MVMC
 The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle, Chair
Clergy PC
 The Rev. Daniel Collines
Clergy OKVC
 The Rev. Tom Darr
Laity MVMC
 Cindy Murphy
Laity PC
 Rick Losh
Clergy UOVC
 The Rev. Devin Ames
Laity OKVC
 Mark Thompson
Laity UOVC
 Valerie Severini

Audit Committee

Members: Bruce Dalton, Paul Wangerin, and Janis Smith.

Synod Mutual Ministry Committee

Appointed by the Executive Committee, the Synod Mutual Ministry Committee (SMMC) is described in nebulous terms in the required provision in the CBCR/WV-WD. In meetings over the past year, SMMC worked out a plan to make its work more effective and relevant to the life and ministry of the synod. Synod Council took action to request the Churchwide Assembly to amend the required provision of the Constitution for Synods to allow the changes sought by this synod.

Members: The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle (chair), Nancy Weeks (ex officio), the The Rev. Sean Smith, The Rev. Patrice Weirick,  and Paula Mitchell.

Bylaws Committee

At its 22 January 2022 meeting, Synod Council enacted a continuing resolution establishing a standing bylaws committee "with those duties and prerogatives normally associated with a bylaws committee, including, but not limited to, regular review of the governing documents of the synod, recommendation of amendment of the same to the Synod Assembly or the Synod Council, and execution of referrals by the Synod Assembly or the Synod Council."(CR8.01) Appointment is made by the Synod Council. The current members are Laurel Muhly-Alexander, The Rt. Rev. Matthew Riegel, and Brian Crawford.

Standing Committees Elected by Synod Assembly

Consultation Committee

To learn what the Consultation Committee does, click here.

Seat
 Occupant
 Term Period
Clergy 1
 The Rev. Sherry Miller
 2024-2030
Clergy 2
 The Rev. Karen Erskine-Valentine
 2021-2027†
Clergy 3
 The Rev. Ben Erzkus
 2021-2027
Clergy 4
 The Rev. Nancy Knoll 2023-2029
Clergy 5
 The Rev. Kevin Mackey 2023-2029
Clergy 6
 The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle
 2022-2028
Laity 1
 Nancy Week
 2024-2030
Laity 2
 Marvin Beckman
 2021-2027
Laity 3
 Brian Felici
 2021-2027†
Laity 4
 John Knoll
 2022-2028
Laity 5
 Lois Broyles
 2022-2028
Laity 6
 Eric Valentine
 2023-2029

† Resignations tendered effective the convening of the 2025 Synod Assembly.

Discipline Committee

To learn what the Discipline Committee does, click here.

Seat
 Occupant
 Term Period
Clergy 1
 The Rev. R. Paul Schafer
 2024-2030
Clergy 2
 The Rev. Sally Bartling
 2021-2027†
Clergy 3
 The Rev. Patrice Weirick
 2021-2027
Clergy 4
 The Rev. Matt Holbert
 2021-2027
Clergy 5
 The Rev. Ben Erzkus
 2023-2029
Clergy 6
 The Rev. Randy Richardson
 2023-2029
Laity 1
 Sylvia "Sue" Hoffman
 2024-2030
Laity 2
 Richard Niehaus
 2024-2030
Laity 3
 Pam Pritt
 2021-2027†
Laity 4
 Shawn Gilmore
 2021-2027
Laity 5
 Cheryl Stemple
 2022-2028
Laity 6
 D. Lynn  Newman
 2023-2029

† Resignations tendered effective the convening of the 2025 Synod Assembly.

Conferences & Deans

The WV-WMD Synod has four conferences, three of them further divided into two clusters each:

  • Mon Valley-Mountain Conference (MVMC): The Rev. Ruth Bullwinkle, Dean
  • Ohio-Kanawha Valley Conference (OKVC): The Rev. Randy Richardson, Dean
  • Potomac Conference (PC): The Sally Bartling, Dean
  • Upper Ohio Valley Conference (UOVC): The Rev. Sean Smith, Dean

A full listing of the congregations of each conference can be found here and in B12.01 of the Bylaws of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod (click here to access).

Other Entities & Appointees

Various church-related entities have boards or other positions which are filled through the appointment of the Synod Council or the bishop.

Entity
 Position
 Occupant
 Term
 Appointment
West Virginia Council of Churches
 Council
 The Rev. Randy Richardson At Will
 Bishop
Caroline Furnace
 Board of Directors The Rev. Angela Lambert
 At Will
 Bishop
WV-WMD Hunger
 Hunger Lead
 Mary Sanders
 At will
 Bishop
Lutheran Campus Foundation at WVU
 Board of Directors
 The Rt. Rev. Matthew Riegel
 N/A
 Ex officio
Region 8
 Steering Committee
 Nancy Weeks
 At will
 Synod Council
Region 8
 Steering Committee
 The Rt. Rev. Matthew Riegel N/A
 Ex officio
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West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod
309 Baldwin Street, Morgantown, WV 26505
304-363-4030 + Porter@WV-WMD.org