Headline News
(23 April 2025)
Bishop
Eaton's Easter Message
Bishop Eaton's Easter message has been posted on Youtube.
Click here to view.
Church Council Responds to CRLC
The Church Council of the ELCA received the report of the
Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church at its April
meeting. You may review its response, including actions
taken and matters being forwarded to Churchwide Assembly
2025 on our CRLC page.
Liturgy and Worship Appointments for Easter
Looking for guidance on how to decorate your church for
the Easter season? Trying to figure out whether to sing
the Gloria or the Dignus est? Search no
longer. Our worship aids, accessible through our Worship
page, contain a wealth of information and some tips.
Of special note would be the guidance on the use of the
Paschal candle during the Easter season. While it burns
for the next several weeks, there are rules as to when it
is extinguished for the last time. There are also
practices surrounding lighting it and extinguishing it on
any given day during the season by which the Paschal
candle supports our Easter devotion. Visit our Paschal Candle
page to learn more about these specifics and plenty of
other items from the origin of its name to its incising.
ALERT: Bogus eMail
It's been five years since the last time the a bogus
email was sent under the bishop's name. The one sent today
(Holy Wednesday), indicating that the bishop had a
confidential matter to discuss, is bogus. Technically,
this is not a case of hacking; it is a case of spoofing,
i.e., an imposter posing as the bishop. For more about
spoofed emails, visit our Contact
Info & Communications page.
Jeff Allen Retires from WVCC
After nearly two decades of dedicated leadership with the
West Virginia Council of Churches, The Rev. Jeff Allen has
retired. His tenure as Executive Director was marked by a
steadfast commitment to ecumenical collaboration, social
justice, and compassionate service, leaving a lasting
impact on churches and communities across the state. Allen
has been accorded the title Executive Director
Emeritus, and to further honor his ministry and
legacy, a newly established endowment fund at the United
Methodist Foundation of West Virginia will support child
health initiatives and other vital activities of the West
Virginia Council of Churches. For full story and
information on how you can contribute the endowment, click here.
Camp Luther Registration Open
Camper registration for Camp Luther 2025 is now open. Visit
our Camping
& Outdoor Ministries page for access to Camp
Luther's online registration. You will also find there
access to Caroline Furnace and Camp Agapé information.
Scouting
Scouting for Children in Foster and Kinship Care — Free
An initiative allowing children in foster and kinship
care to join scouting programs for free and paying for
associated costs, including uniforms and field trips has
been launched in West Virginia because children in foster
and kinship care can benefit greatly from structured
programs that teach life skills, build confidence, and
create a safe, caring environment. Learn more on our Camping & Outdoor
Ministry page.
Chaplains Sought for Jambo 2026
Jamboree returns to West Virginia in 2026, and chaplains
are being sought. Visit our Camping & Outdoor
Ministry page.
Scouting in the Lutheran Church
National Lutheran Association on Scouting is holding an
event this July for anyone who would like to learn more
about scouting and how to connect it to the life of
Lutherans and their congregations. Click
here for more.
LARCUM: Nicaea at 1700
Registration deadline for LARCUM 2025 is less than two
weeks away.
LARCUM 2025 will gather 12-14 May 2025 at the St. John
XXIII Pastoral Center, the focus of conversation being the
Council of Nicæa at 1700 years and what the council might
mean for us today and our ongoing ecumenical
conversations. Details are posted on the LARCUM
page, including agenda, registration, and presenters.
Open to clergy and laity regardless of religious
tradition, LARCUM provides a great opportunity for anyone
interested in conversation with other Christians on
interesting topics. Register by May 1 and bring your
ecumenical neighbor.
Network in the East
A three-day gathering in Gettysburg for congregational
youthworkers (staff and volunteer) is being offered 7-9
August 2025. Details the synod's Youth
page.
Synod Assembly Registration
Open!
Registration is now open for Synod Assembly 2025! Synod
Assembly will convene 31 May 2025 in Morgantown, WV. Click here
for details and registration.
Who's Your Congregational Lay Voting Member
Per our rules, those elected by their respective
congregations to serve as lay voting members of the Synod
Assembly remain lay voting members until replaced by their
congregations or otherwise disqualified. If you have been
a congregational lay voting member in the past, you may
still be (if your congregation has not formally replaced
you). Review our roster
of congregational lay voting members to find out.
Resolutions & Memorials
Though the deadline is not until May 11, it is wise to
make submissions well in advance. Click here
for rules and procedures related to resolutions and
memorials.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments Before Synod Assembly
2025
Synod Assembly will consider amendments to the
Constitution of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod.
Six-month notice was given per the rules, but we repost
them here.
Proposed Amendments to Governing Documents Before
Churchwide Assembly 2025
Churchwide Assembly 2025 will consider a series of
amendments to the governing documents of this church,
including the Constitution for Synods and the Model
Constitution for Congregations. The proposed amendments are
posted on our Polity page.
Call Openings
We have one MSP active at the moment. We also have some
settings in which a call could be considered without an
active MSP. On top of that, there is potential for
contract appointments. With several clergy vacancies
across the territory, there are opportunities for clergy
interested in serving in the WV-WMD Synod. Visit the clergy
page to find out what's available (or will be
available once the MSP is completed).
If you haven't checked out the members portal...
Don't forget to take a peek of the members
portal (click the button at right near the top of
this page). It's not password protected. We only call it
the "members portal" because it's mostly stuff that deals
with the internal workings of the synod. Visitors looking
for more general information about the synod, will
probably find the "guest portal" more interesting.
Synod
Website Updates
The synod website updates frequently (as in often) and
irregularly (as in not on a particular schedule). Click here (or on the picture at
right) to find out what has been recently updated.
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