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Lutherans from all around the Virginia Synod (including Pastor Jay and our delegates, Chris and Jennie Hawkins) gathered at Roanoke College for the 2025 Virginia Synod Assembly. The Synod welcomed Jill Beverlin, ELCA Program Director – Coaching Ministries, as our Churchwide Representative. Bishop Dee Pederson from our companion synod, Southwestern Minnesota Synod preached and brought greetings from her synod.

The Assembly theme was Intertwining Hope. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you abide in Me, and I in you, you will bear great fruit. Without Me, you will accomplish nothing. (John 15:5 The Voice Translation). The theme was carried out throughout the assembly by hearing updates from various mission partners who were present. Intertwining prayers were offered throughout the assembly. Congregations and ministry sites were invited to share information and pictures about their ministries. These pictures and stories were available on the tables at the assembly and attendees prayed for the congregations and ministry sites across the Synod. A variety of Ecumenical leaders were present and introduced at the start of the assembly.

Elected to serve on Synod Council are River Smith (St. Mark, Floyd-Willis Parish), Jerry A. Hoke (Our Saviour, Warrenton), Nathaniel Porter (Our Saviour, Christiansburg), Patricia Corliss (St. Timothy, Norfolk) Cedric Wilson (St. Philip, Roanoke), Pastor Tina Melusky (Trinity, Newport News), and Pastor Deanna Boynton (Grace, Winchester - serving as Chaplain at Valley Health). Elected to serve on the Committee on Discipline are Erin Hager (Trinity, Pulaski), Charles Page (Good Shepherd, Lexington), Erin Georion (Grace, Winchester), and Pastor Joel Neubauer (St. Mark, Yorktown).

The Assembly opened with a service of Holy Communion. Bishop Dee Pederson, Southwestern Minnesota Synod, served as the preacher for worship and focused on the Assembly theme, ‘Intertwining Hope.’ On Saturday morning, Bishop Phyllis Milton presided at a service of remembrance for rostered ministers who had died since the last onsite assembly in 2023. The assembly also remembered congregations that had closed. Saturday’s Assembly concluded with a Festival Service of Holy Communion that included commissioning four lay ministers, Jim Ingraham, Erich Lantz, Debbie Mintiens, and Jennifer Partica. The final day of the Assembly began with morning prayer and ended with a closing worship service featuring a sermon by Vicar Andy Taminger (Southside Partnership-Ascension, Danville and Holy Trinity, Martinsville) and the installation of those serving in leadership roles in the Virginia Synod. This year, the offerings were designated to support the Lutheran Disaster Response.

The Assembly celebrated rostered minister ordination anniversaries, congregation anniversaries, and gave thanks to lay leaders, including those concluding terms on Synod Council.

The Assembly approved the 2026 and 2027 Investment in Ministry Plans, the 2023 and 2024 Synod Audits, and the Compensation Guidelines for 2026. Susanna Carr (First English, Richmond) president of the Lutheran Youth Organization, presented the Youth Assembly report, focusing on the theme, “Shapes of Hope," based on Romans 5:1-5, and the images of hope that present themselves to us in our daily lives.