IMAGINE
June 4-6, 2026
Split Rock Resort
428 Moseywood Rd, Lake Harmony, PA 18624-7009
2026 Synod Assembly: Imagine
The Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) Synod Assembly is the annual gathering of congregations, pastors, and leaders to worship, conduct business, and discern our shared mission. As the synod’s primary decision-making body, rostered ministers and elected lay voting members consider resolutions, elect leaders, and hear ministry updates.
In 2026, the Assembly will also include the election of a bishop, as voting members prayerfully discern and elect a bishop to serve a six-year term.
Registration opens: Tuesday April 7
Registration closes: Monday May 11
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3: 20-21
Where & When?
DATES:
Thursday, June 4 - Saturday, June 6, 2026
LOCATION:
Split Rock Resort
428 Moseywood Rd, Lake Harmony, PA 18624-7009
IN-PERSON ONLY:
As a part of its business on October 18, 2025, the Synod Council discussed concerns that were expressed regarding holding the 2026 Synod Assembly as a solely in-person meeting at Split Rock. Click here to view statement.
VOTING:
This year’s Synod Assembly voting will be conducted using paper ballots.
Registration Details
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: April 7
Registration Closes: May 11
Pricing Voting Members:
Assembly Voting Members (Lay & Rostered): $175
- Meal and hotel accommodations are not included in rate.
For anyone who cannot pay online, by credit card or ACH, please contact the Synod Office: 610-266-5101
Visitors are Free
Visitors are asked to register, which will include the option to purchase meals. Visitors will have a designated seating area separate from voting members.
NOTE:
Each congregation is required* by their Congregational Constitution (C5.04.) and by our Synod Constitution (S7.21.) to send their clergy (active serving pastors and deacons), along with at least one lay member (if less than 175 baptized members) or two lay members (if 175 or more baptized members).
*If not able to attend, Rostered Ministers and congregations must submit excuse by May 11 to Laurie Christman
Book Hotel Room
The block expires on May 20
BOOK ONLINE:
Click here to reserve hotel rooms online
BOOK OVER THE PHONE:
Call 570-722-9111 Prompt #1 and give code: NEPS
|
SPLIT ROCK ROOM RATES: |
Thurs |
Fri |
Total |
Room Type |
|
Studio Without Kitchenette |
158 |
226 |
384 |
2 queen beds |
|
Studio With Kitchenette |
168 |
245 |
413 |
2 queen beds |
|
One Bedroom |
186 |
273 |
459 |
1 king bed + 2 twin murphy beds |
|
Two Bedroom |
275 |
396 |
671 |
1 king bed + 2 twin murphy beds + 2 twin beds |
IMPORTANT NOTES!
- The hotel reservation link defaults to showing Thursday and Friday nights. Although the rate is different for each night, our contracted discount applies for June 1 through June 7 if you want to add days before or after Assembly. Be sure to select your correct desired dates at the top and then press the BOOK NOW button to refresh the information.
- The hotel reservation website must apply both sales and occupancy taxes. When you add rooms to the cart, the total (for Thursday and Friday) should match the above chart amounts. You can not submit a sales tax exemption certificate, that has already been reduced from the total amount, even though the reservation site indicates otherwise.
- There are several pictures for each room type, use the green arrows to scroll through the photos.
Expense Estimate
A basic individual cost estimate:
- $175 - Registration fee
- $213 - 5 meals (Friday breakfast through Saturday lunch)
- $384 - On-site individual room (Thursday + Friday night)
$772 total per person.
This would calculate to $2,316 total for a congregation’s Pastor + 2 voting members, each having an individual room on site.
Questions
Who do you contact with specific questions?
General assembly questions—Pastor Lauren Applegate
Registration - Laurie Christman
Hotel & Hospitality - Eric Gombert
- Many locations were considered. Finding a facility that can accommodate the space needs for a Bishop’s election is not easy. Split Rock not only meets those needs, but is significantly less expensive than the few other venues that would meet this criteria.
- Split Rock Resort’s location is very close to the geographic center of our Synod. The furthest congregation location is about two hours away, with most being within 90 minutes, and many about one hour. The property itself is easy to navigate and commuter friendly.
- Hotel room rates were established that are already inclusive of fees and calculated as PA sales tax exempt. Four varieties of rooms are available that can provide individual beds for multiple people, beds in different rooms, and even rooms that have a kitchenette or full kitchen. See the chart at the bottom for more details.
- Group meals will be offered at Split Rock beginning with Wednesday dinner through Saturday lunch. The combined total of all these meals helps us to meet savings benchmarks related to our food and beverage totals. Attendees will be able to select specific meals, at cost, as part of the Assembly registration. (Ie. One person could select to participate in every offered meal, and another could select only Friday lunch.)
- A realistic, but tight assembly budget resulting in a registration fee that is as low as possible.
- We are working on finding sponsors for aspects of the Assembly, such as a meal, that could lower the attendee expense for congregations.
- Consider sharing rooms. None of the offered room styles has fewer than two independent beds.
- Upgrade individual rooms to Studio WITH Kitchenette. The additional expense is $29 per room, but you could prepare some meals in the room and save $213 per person if no group meals are selected.
- Upgrade one or more rooms to One Bedroom. These rooms have a KITCHEN. The additional expense is $75 per room, but you could save $213 per person if no group meals are selected. Also, a One Bedroom room could be used for two or more people. The two single Murphy beds are in the main part of the room, but there is a door between that space and the room with the King bed.
- Upgrade to one TWO BEDROOM for your three voting members. This room style has all the features of the One Bedroom with an added additional room with its own bathroom and two twin beds. Each person would have their own bed and space for sleeping.
- Commute.
- Consider bringing box lunch or more along to save meal expense.
As a part of its business on October 18, 2025, the Synod Council discussed concerns that were expressed regarding holding the 2026 Synod Assembly as a solely in-person meeting at Split Rock.
“Renewed Spirit Synod Assembly Grants” are now available
The Endowment Team of Renewed Spirit Church in Reading, with approval from their Council, would like to offer financial assistance to congregations to help send lay voting members to the Synod Assembly. Congregations may apply for up to two grants of $300 each. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the available funds are distributed.
Congregations with financial need may apply by contacting Pastor Rob Argot Jr. by email or regular mail and providing the names of the congregation’s lay delegates along with contact information for the church. Requests should be submitted by March 31.
Renewed Spirit Church
449 N 9th St Reading, PA 19601
Help Shape Our Synod’s Future
As we prepare for the upcoming bishop’s election, the Restructuring Committee is inviting members of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod to share their voice through a brief survey.
Your responses will help clarify what congregations need, what leadership is being called for in this season, and how we move forward together in the next six years. Whether you are a lay member, rostered leader, congregational officer, or synod volunteer, your perspective matters.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and be part of this important time of discernment.
Deadline: March 31
Theme: "Imagine"
Our theme is grounded in Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14–21, a prayer spoken on bended knee before “the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.” Paul dares to ask for something audacious: that we would be strengthened in our inner being, rooted and grounded in love, so that we might comprehend “the breadth and length and height and depth” of Christ’s love—and be filled with all the fullness of God. Then comes the word that stretches our imagination to its limits: “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine…”
How big is our God? How big can we IMAGINE?
Our Synod Assembly logo gives us a living metaphor. A tree stretches its limbs outward in every direction—toward light, toward space, toward diversity, toward possibility. Its roots run deep, grounded in love, held within the shape of a heart. This is who we are called to be: a people deeply rooted in Christ’s love, and boldly reaching outward for the sake of the world God so loves. Growth does not happen without grounding. Reaching does not happen without roots. Imagination, too, is nurtured by love.
ASSEMBLY AGENDA
Approved by Synod Council on February 21, 2026
THURSDAY, JUNE 4
3:30pm-5:30pm: Check in/Ministry Displays at the Imagination Station
5:30pm-6:00pm: Preliminary Matters
6:00pm-8:00pm: Plenary 1
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
9:00am-11:00am: Plenary 2
11:00am-12:00pm: Festival Worship
12:00pm-1:30pm: Lunch/Ministry Displays at the Imagination Station
1:30pm-5:00pm: Plenary 3
5:00pm-6:30pm: Dinner
6:30pm-7:15pm: Mission District Caucuses
7:15pm-8:00pm: Plenary 4
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
9:00am-11:00am: Plenary 5
11:00am-12:00pm: Eucharist
12:00pm-1:30pm: Lunch/Ministry Displays at the Imagination Station
1:30pm-3:00pm: Plenary 6
ELCA REPRESENTATIVE
The Rev. Lucille “CeCee” Mills was elected Aug. 1, 2025, to serve a six-year term as secretary of the ELCA by the Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. Prior to her election, Secretary Mills had served as an assistant to the bishop for the call process and as interim director for evangelical mission in the ELCA North Carolina Synod since 2019. She had previously served as an interim pastor, as ELCA African Descent Ministries program associate, and as pastor of Rejoice Lutheran Church, Chesapeake, Va.
Pastor CeCee Mills
Secretary of the ELCA
Pre-Assembly Info Session
What is the "Pre-Assembly Info Session?"
This pre-assembly session is designed to train, inform, and prepare Voting Members for the work they will do at Synod Assembly. Those who attend the live Zoom session will be able to interact and ask questions, and a recording will be available for anyone unable to attend. All Voting Members are encouraged to attend live or watch the recording before the Synod Assembly begins on June 4 so that our time together can be used most effectively.
Topics will include the Treasurer’s Report, what to expect during elections, updates from the Restructuring Team regarding pre-election surveys, and an overview of the Reference and Council process.
Session Date
Thursday May 28
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Imagine T-shirts!
A portion of every sale goes to the
2025 Northeastern Pa Synod Assembly Offering
Pre-Orders only - not for sale at Synod Assembly
"According to the Continuing Resolutions and Other Resolutions of Ongoing Impact of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA, Chapter 3, #13 states: 'A special offering to benefit the ELCA's World Hunger Appeal shall be received at the annual Synod Assembly.'”
Nearly 1-in-10 people – 733 million – in our world are hungry. As members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work.
Working with and through our congregations, in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Lutheran churches overseas and other partners, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for the ELCA to respond, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty.
By participating in this special offering, we honor our synod’s ongoing commitment to support the ELCA’s World Hunger Appeal. Together, we join in the ELCA’s mission to address hunger and poverty in sustainable, life-changing ways. Your generosity helps ensure that communities around the world have access to the resources they need to thrive.
