All congregations are encouraged to gather their council members, new to their role or elected again, for an in-person orientation as we walk through church leadership best practices, constitution & bylaw processes, and answer any questions you may have about your new leadership role!

Leadership Academy - Council Training 2024 Agenda

St. Mark's Lutheran Church - Springfield, VA

Saturday, February 8. 2025

9am-3pm

Draft Agenda

9-9:30 am - Registration

9:30 am - Opening Prayer

9:35-11:00 - Session 1 Structure of Church/Synod

• What/Who is the Synod - Bishop Leila Ortiz
• What the Synod helps with and what it doesn’t - Pastor Sarah Garrett Krey, Assistant to the Bishop for Candidacy and Mobility and Pastor Jason Shank, Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to the Bishop
• The Why - Aligning Mission and Ministry – Pr. Shank
• How to Run an Effective Meeting centered on the Why
  • Building an effective agenda

Break

11:15 am - 12:15 pm- Session 2 Policies and Procedures

• What is the obligation of serving on a Congregational Council - John Van De Weert, Synod Attorney
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Liabilities
  • Policies
• Constitutions - Barbara Bilodeau, Metro D.C. Synod Secretary
• Finance and Budgets - Bishop Ortiz and Julie Hamre, Metro D.C. Synod Treasurer
  • What is Mission Support (not benevolence/tithing)
  • What is important to include in a budget
• Membership and the Parish Register – Katharyn Wheeler, Administrative Assistant to the Bishop
• Synod and ELCA reports

12:15 - 1:00pm Lunch provided by the Synod

1:00 – 2:15pm Session 3 – Support and Networking

• Importance of Mutual Ministry and Personnel Committees
• Reaching Across the Synod – Networking based on Council Roles

2:15-2:45pm - Opportunities and Q&A

• Synod Opportunities
• Q & A

2:45pm Closing Reflections and Prayer

This event is being provided free of charge to all attendees through the Metro D.C. Synod Congregational Vitality fund.