Churchwide Assembly: The Churchwide Assembly gathers with about 1000 voting members every three years and serves as the highest deliberative body in the ELCA. Significant resolutions and new ELCA policies are deliberated and voted on, budgets amended and passed, Churchwide Council members, presiding bishop, secretary and vice-president are elected as needed, project reports received, and moving worship, connecting and learning opportunities abound. In 2025, the Oregon Synod will send its bishop and vice-president and will elect seven other voting members, two of whom must be youth or young adults (between 14 and 30 years of age) and two of whom must be Black, Indigenous or a Person of Color and/or persons whose primary language is other than English. All travel and lodging expenses are covered by the ELCA. The total number cannot be more than 40% rostered persons. (These representatives will be elected in 2024).

Our member of the Churchwide Council works with the Presiding Bishop, ELCA Vice-President and a diverse ELCA Council to oversee the work of the denomination, including supporting new and existing ministries, creating sustainable, faithful budgets, defining and interpreting mission and vision, and helping further a tone in the ELCA of deep faithfulness and creative courage as we walk in the Way of Jesus. Position is a six-year term, not eligible for consecutive re-election.

Along with the synod treasurer and bishop, the Endowment Board (or committee) oversees the activities of the Endowment Fund. This includes the regular disbursement of funds to support creative ministries in the synod, highlighting the mission of the Endowment Fund, cultivating new gifts to grow the fund and communicating with the leaders of the synod all the activities of the fund – stories, hopes, new grants, due dates for new proposals and more. Positions are a three-year term, eligible for reelection to one additional consecutive term.

The Discipline Committee assists a congregation in the rare but important task of discernment around disciplining a congregation or church member with whom the congregational council cannot reach a mediated agreement. This committee is only engaged if the Consultation Committee has not been able to reach an agreement and refers the matter to the Discipline Committee. This is detailed in the synod constitution and may include lengthy conversations, structured hearings, group deliberation, ongoing prayer and the difficult but often necessary task of setting boundaries for various parties in writing. Positions are a six-year term without consecutive re-election.

The Consultation Committee assists a congregation or congregations in the rare but important task of mediating disputes among congregations, disputes of factions within a congregation, or with a member whom the congregational council has deemed is interfering with the mission or ministry of the church. This process is detailed in the synod constitution and may include listening posts within the church community, one-to-one conversations with key parties, prayerful discernment and the composing of recommendations. Positions are a six-year term without consecutive re-election.