Last Monday I flew from Wenatchee through Seattle to Chicago for the spring Conference of Bishops meeting. It is an honor and privilege to represent the Northwest Intermountain Synod in conversations happening across the church. The bishops from the synods in Regions 1 and 2 (basically The West) had dinner together Monday night and then met Tuesday morning.

As another bishop stated, “When our bishops gather, we are the elected and called pastors of each Synod who collectively carry and represent a relationship with (hopefully or nearly) every congregation, campus ministry, outdoor ministry, social ministry organization, deacon, and pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the CoB table.”

Each day began and ended with worship. Our Region 4 bishops planned and led worship, using the themes of the 2024 Youth Gathering which will take place this summer in New Orleans. I am registered and so looking forward to being with our youth on Synod Day and throughout the event.

We moved our Tuesday evening social time to the basement due to a Tornado warning.

Bishop Yehiel Curry, Metro Chicago Synod, is our new CoB Chair and I am grateful for his leadership. From our agenda, here is a list of topics we discussed/heard about/learned:

Why do we gather as the Conference of Bishops?

Sacraments Report

Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church Update, Conversation

Report from Presiding Bishop Pro Tem Michael Burk

Farewells to Outgoing Bishops – we said goodbye to 8 bishops

Report from Candidacy Leadership Development Working Group

Learning Opportunity – ELCA Social Statements – Rev. Dr. Roger Willer and Dr. Ryan Cumming

First Call Process

Secretary’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

In your own words: ELCA racial justice and gender justice social teaching – Ms. Jennifer DeLeon and Dr. Mary Streufert (I used Dr. Streufert’s book, Transformative Lutheran Theologies: Feminist, Womanist, and Mujerista Perspectives, for my D.Min. paper so it was an honor to meet her and fun to have some side conversations)

Synod Diversity Goal Reporting Tool – Ms. Judith Roberts

Tanzania Companion Synods Lunch

AMMPARO Update – Ms. Mary Campbell

We also worked on two statements/letters:

Calling for a permanent bilateral cease-fire in Gaza and

A Statement in solidarity with migrants in Texas

I’ll admit to being tired after traveling the last few weeks, but I am equally grateful for the conversations and learning and work.