The Minneapolis Area Synod’s voting members arrived in Phoenix yesterday for the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, “For the Life of the World,” kicking off a week of worship, discussion, and faithful decision making. While the temperatures were indeed high (105 degrees), Bishop Hutterer of the Grand Canyon Synod assured the assembly in her greeting that this was much cooler than usual…
Voting members and attendees began the afternoon with worship and Eucharist. Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton preached on John 6:51-58 reminding the assembly to look to Jesus and the wisdom of the cross as the ground of our collective resistance and perseverance. While the wisdom of the world centers wealth and power, the wisdom of the cross centers love, strength in weakness, and love of neighbor.
Later, Bishop Eaton called the Assembly to order grounding us in the theme “For the Life of the World,” inspired by the 1,700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed. The assembly practiced using the voting machines, passed the Rules of Order, and then cast the first ecclesiastical ballot for the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA. Any rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament can be nominated. Over 75 candidates were nominated on the first ballot.
The first plenary ended by reflecting on the social statement Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action, beginning a process of confession and repentance for the sins of patriarchy and sexism, as directed by the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. 
After the plenary, the voting members from the Minneapolis Area Synod gathered to connect with one another and discuss the next day’s agenda.
Today the Assembly has a full schedule including conversations about the proposed Social Statement “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Wellbeing of All,” taking action on Social Policy Resolutions, hearing a report from the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church, and casting a second ballot for Presiding Bishop.