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Lutherans from all around the Virginia Synod gathered at Roanoke College on June 9—11 for the 2023 Virginia Synod Assembly. The Synod welcomed Deacon Sue Rothmeyer, Secretary of the ELCA as our Churchwide Representative. The Assembly theme was The Way in the Wilderness. Hear the voice of the prophet Isaiah call out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord” ( Isaiah 40:3a).

With the pending retirement of Bishop Bob Humphrey, the Assembly undertook the process of electing the next Bishop of the Virginia Synod. On the sixth ballot, the Rev. Dr. Phyllis Blair Milton, Pastor at Holy Communion, Portsmouth, was elected with 175 votes to 172 votes for the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop of the Virginia Synod. Bishop-elect Milton will take office September 1. She will be installed as Bishop on Saturday, October 21 at First Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro.

The Assembly elected Blythe Scott (First, Norfolk) to serve as the new Vice-President of the Virginia Synod and elected Judy Casteele (Good Shepherd, Lexington) to serve as the Secretary of the Virginia Synod. In addition to the election of the Bishop, Vice-President, and Secretary of the Synod, the Assembly elected lay leaders to serve on the Synod Council, the Consultation Committee, and the Committee on Discipline. A full list of those elected is available on the Synod website: https://vasynod.org/2023-virginia-synod-assembly/