Synod Staff Updates

 Rev. Steve Meysing Departs Synod Staff

After nearly nine years of serving the Nebraska Synod in his role as Assistant to the Bishop, Pastor Steve Meysing is departing the synod staff in order to take a new call. Steve's diverse work has seen him assisting with congregational call processes, working with the PMA program, assisting congregations in conflict, providing pastoral care and support to rostered ministers, relating to our companion synod church in Argentina and Uruguay, serving on a variety of teams, committees and boards and much more. He will be completing his time on staff at the end of July.

"Steve leaves behind a host of relationships of trust, respect, admiration and appreciation, built up over years of faithful and dedicated ministry. He will be sorely missed," said Bishop Brian Maas. "I hope many will join me in expressing deep thanks to Steve, and wishing him well in his return to congregational ministry." 

Steve will be serving as Rector of the Episcopal Church of Our Savior in North Platte.

We Are One- 2021 Nebraska Synod Assembly

 

The Nebraska Synod gathered digitally for its first-ever online assembly on Saturday, June 5. Live-streamed from the television studios of the University of Nebraska Omaha, the assembly managed to share online worship, hear from presenters, conduct elections, transact business, and engage in dialog, all in a matter of six hours. The opening worship was adapted from the ELCA’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of ordination of Lutheran women in the U.S., the 40th anniversary of the first ordination of a woman of color, and the 10th anniversary of the ordination of persons in same-sex marriages. Former Bishop Jessica Crist of the Montana Synod was the guest preacher, and served as a keynote speaker as well, reflecting on the critical importance of lifelong learning for all disciples.

Rev. Dr. Rafael Malpica-Padilla was the ELCA Churchwide Representative and reported on all that the Nebraska Synod does nationally and globally through the many varied expressions of the ELCA’s ministries. Picking up on a phrase from Bishop Maas’ report in the Bulletin of Reports, he repeatedly asked whether “we will lean backward and tip over into history, or lean forward and tip over into a new future.” He spoke with passion of the ways the ELCA is leaning into God’s future and expressed gratitude to the Nebraska Synod for its support and leadership within the ELCA.

The Bishop's Report

Bishop Maas started out his annual report with a recap of 2020 and how the pandemic led to change. As part of this recap, he discussed Walter Brueggemann's  work with the three urgent prophetic tasks- Reality, Grief, and Hope. It was inspiring to see all the hopeful ways congregations were able to adapt to the reality of the pandemic and recover from grief to continue to be the church together. Bishop Maas also discussed some key topics, such as leadership in the church and the work we do with our Serving Arm partners. He ended his time by highlighting synod programs and new ministries, such as Seeking the Spirit Within, the Church of the Way, and the Vitality Initiative for Congregations. To find out more about synod ministries and programs, visit nebraskasynod.org.

Other Highlights

Opening worship featured many of our female leaders from across the synod. Pastors, deacons, and lay leaders from Nebraska congregations took part in leading this celebration of women in the church. Rev. Jessica Crist from the Montana Synod gave a sermon about women being called to preach. 

Several of the synod's partners shared their stories and messages in short videos. These videos were featured as part of our time together. To learn more about what our partner organizations do, you can find their videos at this link.

We successfully gathered to do the business of the church. Though voting was not in person, elections and approvals happened online via Zoom polling. Several individuals were elected for Synod Committees, Synod Council, and Churchwide Assembly. This year's assembly marked the election of a new Synod Council secretary- Gwen Edwards will be joining the Synod Council officers. Attendees also approved the agenda and the 2022 proposed budget. 

To view the 2021 Nebraska Synod Assembly, click here.

We are the Nebraska Synod

Nebraska Synod Road Shows are one way the synod walks together. First established in 2019, the Nebraska Synod is excited for the Road Shows to resume in late 2021. Gathering in the different clusters and territories of the synod, disciples from area congregations are invited into a rich Saturday of discipleship building, worship, and fellowship that runs from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Lunch is provided half way through the day, which also includes times of story sharing, conversation, deep listening, learning, and fellowship with most the Nebraska Synod staff and other key synod leaders. 

On Road Show weekends, the entire synod office hits the road, if you will, to one corner of the state and synod or another, together. As one pastor exclaimed when gathering on the Saturday morning of the road show in Alliance out in the Panhandle, “They are all here. They all came.” This is a priority for the Nebraska Synod because we believe that together we are growing disciples, walking together, and serving God’s world. Road Shows are one way we literally engage in times of discipleship growth, walking together, and sharing stories and ideas for how we serve as part of God’s on-going work today.

On Sunday mornings of Road Show weekends, synod staff and other synod leaders visit area congregations with words of greeting, sermons, and other presentations, presence, and conversations. Area congregations who register for the Road Show are encouraged to invite a synod staff member (or more than one) to come and visit and join their congregation. Congregations may request members of synod staff, areas of interest or topics, needs or gifts, and the synod staff will do its best to accommodate such invitations and requests. 

Road Shows were held in the fall of 2019 in Adams and Alliance, and in February 2020 in Grand Island, and Schuyler. Road Shows that were scheduled later in 2020 and were postponed because of the pandemic are being rescheduled to resume in late 2021 and 2022. The fun of the Road Show will recommence starting November 6th and 7th, up in Northeast Nebraska. And then in 2022, Road Shows will travel to:

• Lincoln, February 19-20, 2022

• Hebron, March 26-27, 2022

• Eustis, August 27-28, 2022

• Omaha, October 2022. 

Stay tuned to the synod website and social media for more information about upcoming Road Shows and to register your congregation to participate in the next one coming to your area. If you don’t see one coming near you in the year ahead, know that we’ll be returning to areas of the state that we have previously visited on the Road Shows after this first round concludes in October 2022.