2025 Churchwide Assembly
July 28 – August 2, 2025
Phoenix, Arizona
2025 Churchwide Assembly Elected Members:
Pastor Lauren Applegate, Pastor Brian Beissel, Dr. Donald Boyer, Bishop Christopher deForest, Pastor Chris Druckenmiller, Stephanie Druckenmiller, Stephen Hikes, Elizabeth Leibenguth, Maria Marcano, Amanda Melber, Pastor Kenneth Melber, Ron Mordosky, Seth Noggle, Pastor Nelson Quiñones, Nancy Reichelt, Jean Sandberg, Betty Schaefer-Hassler, Pastor Thomas Scornavacchi, Mark Stana, Deacon Dawn Talley, Jackie Williams, and Alicia Wood
Reflections
Phoenix welcomed 845 voting members, plus volunteers, for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly from July 28 – August 2.
Several of the voting members of our Synod submitted some reflections on the experience, which I have summarized below.
Many of the voting members from our Synod were able to participate in worship as communion assistants and leading parts of processions during the several opportunities for worship. The worship experiences, from music, Word, and dynamic preaching, were energizing, reflective, and inspiring.
We give thanks to the many individuals who worked on the hundreds of “Prayer Squares” that we were able to distribute to the voting members of all Synods.
The Assembly also conducted a great deal of business over eleven plenary sessions. The Assembly elected a new Presiding Bishop, the Rev. Yehiel Curry, and a new Secretary, the Rev. Lucille “CeCee” Mills. Some of our voting members described the experience of the business of this church:
“It is difficult to express in words is the immenseness of responsibility I felt as a voting member, representing the whole church while conducting business. The power of listening to the Spirit in making decisions while listening to those who express their thoughts, feelings and beliefs on different issues.”
The “Order of Business” of this year’s Churchwide Assembly resonated deeply with my experiences and understanding of who God is and how God calls us to be in relationship with one another. From the memorial to take action toward “Justice for Palestinians and Israelis” while calling out genocide, to the consideration and approval of increasing our goal of 20% youth and young adult participation at the national level of church leadership, and the consideration of the recommendations of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. From the elections of our next Secretary and Presiding Bishop, to the editing of the social statement on Sexuality: Gift and Trust, to the development of the statement on Faith and Civic Life. All of the matters included in our Order of Business felt important to me. They all felt connected to who I know God to be, and how God invites our collective participation in response to God’s love for the life of the world.
The Assembly had the opportunity to speak to the motions and business of the Assembly. While most of the conversation was uplifting, there were times when words were said that unintentionally caused harm. Individuals were able to speak truth about how those words were received, apologies were offered, and forgiveness was expressed. It was a beautiful reflection of how we practice confession and forgiveness in the Christian community. As one of our Synod voting members reflects:
“When the final minutes come out from the Assembly, I am sure that they will be hundreds, if not thousands of pages long, and then there will still be things that have not been completely captured. But one of the things that I want to focus on is something that may not even make it into the minutes. It’s a little thing called Grace. I saw it again and again throughout the Assembly, like when one of the final seven candidates for Bishop was unable to be there in person to give her speech, so all of the other six candidates agreed to give their speeches via Zoom so that no one would be perceived to be at an unfair advantage over another. Or when someone got up who was very confused about parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order and unsure what kind of motion they were bringing and Bishop Eaton joked with them and helped them through the motion. Or when not just once, but twice someone inadvertently offended others in the assembly and after being called to account for their words and actions, they repented and the offended party received their apology and there was healing, reconciliation, and a greater awareness of how to not make the same mistake again.”
In the months to come, there will be more to reflect on regarding the work of the Assembly. We give thanks to Deacon Sue Rothmeyer as she finishes her time as ELCA Secretary and give thanks for her encouragement of Christian vocation. We give thanks to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton who has reminded us for her tenure: We are church. We are Lutheran. We are church together. We are church for the sake of the world.
Assembly materials can be found at www.elca.org/cwa if you would like to read them in great detail. Otherwise, I am sure that any of the voting members of the Assembly from our Synod would love to share more of their experience with you.
I encourage you to consider attending the 2028 Churchwide Assembly in Des Moines, Iowa. Voting members will be elected at our 2027 Synod Assembly.
On behalf of our 22 voting members,
The Rev. Kenneth Melber Jr.
Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod Secretary
