Assembly

June 12-14, 2025

Embassy Suites Charleston Airport Hotel & Convention Center
5055 International Blvd.
North Charleston

Registration is now closed.

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About Our Assembly

Our Heritage, Our Hope

Scripture: Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

This theme and scripture were selected in collaboration with the 200th Anniversary Planning Team, as we aim to highlight God’s enduring faithfulness throughout time—covering the past, present, and future—in relation to the ministry within and through the South Carolina Synod.

We are thrilled to come together, not only to conduct the business of the Synod, but also to hear the inspiring stories of ministry happening across our Synod, learn from one another, and reflect on how we’ve worked together over the past 200 years to share the Good News. Our Synod is blessed with countless incredible and creative leaders, faithful congregations, and dedicated members, and we are excited to celebrate this significant milestone in ministry together!

Synod Vice President Election

At our 2025 South Carolina Synod Assembly, we will be electing a new Synod Vice President! VP Deacon Lexanne Graves’ term is coming to an end, and we are beginning the prayerful discernment of who the Holy Spirit is calling to this position next.

A brief VP job description has been created to help us in our discernment. We hope you will take the time to look at this description and consider whether the Holy Spirit is calling you, or someone you know, to be nominated for this position.

In the weeks to come, more information will be shared about Synod Assembly and about the VP election. In the meantime, we invite you to keep this important election, and all those involved, in your prayers. Thank you!

Synod Vice President Job Description

Synod Vice President Job Description

preassembly q&a sessions

Proposed Compensation Guidelines Presentation

Mission Funding / Spending Plan

eNews

about this year’s assembly offering

ASSISTING the James R. Crumley, Jr. Archives

Did you know that The James R. Crumley Jr. Archives has existed formally for more than 30 years as a mandated, non-profit agency of the ELCA, but it contains the records of Lutherans who have been in this region for hundreds of years. It is there that centuries-old stories are preserved for future generations. This year, the Archives needs your help, as it plans for a new chapter in its ministry. Synod Council approved designating the offering received during Assembly to the James R. Crumley Jr. Archives. As you plan your budget or designate an offering for Lent, please prayerfully consider a generous offering to ensure that your Lutheran history and heritage is available for decades to come.

Give

Use the QR code to give or click the link at the top of this page.

Lutheran F.A.Q. | What is Synod Assembly?

Guests, Leaders, & Speakers

We give thanks to these wonderful guests, leaders, and speakers. More will be listed soon.

The Rev. Amy E. Reumann

ELCA Representative

The Rev. Amy E. Reumann serves as ELCA Senior Director for Witness in Society in Washington, D.C. Her leadership directs staff and church advocacy in federal public policy, through the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office (sppo) network, at the United Nations through Lutheran Office for World Community representation, and with the ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility program. She has served as a parish pastor in New Jersey and Wisconsin, Assistant to the Bishop in Milwaukee, Wis. and director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania. Reumann is a graduate of Muhlenberg College, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the General Theological Seminary, New York City. She was awarded a GreenFaith Fellowship in religious-environmental leadership and a Louisville Institute Pastoral Studies Grant on “Public Testimony as a Faith Practice.” Reumann is a Master Gardener, manager at an urban farm and loves to garden, knit, quilt, play board games, hike and read mysteries.

Dr. Susan Wilds McArver

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Susan Wilds McArver served as the H. George Anderson Professor of Church History at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary for over twenty-six years, until her retirement at the end of 2024.  She received her B.A. from Salem College, M.A.R. from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and Ph.D. from Duke University in American Religious History.

She currently chairs the Board of Directors of the James R. Crumley Jr Archives of Region 9 and has served in a number of capacities at the churchwide level of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  She is also a past President of the Lutheran Historical Conference, a professional organization of church historians and archivists from the ELCA, Missouri Synod and Wisconsin Synod.

The Rev. E. Arden Hallman

Co-Chaplain

The Rev. E. Arden Hallman

The Reverend E. Arden Hallman was ordained in 1975 and currently serves as pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pomaria, South Carolina. His pastoral career has spanned several counties, including Lexington, Newberry, and Georgetown. Beyond his congregational work, Pastor Hallman has answered a call to special service with the Department of Mental Health and Alcohol and Addiction Services. He also served as the first Mission Developer for Restoration Chapel, a ministry of the South Carolina Synod, ELCA, dedicated to serving recovering individuals. In 2018, he earned certification as a Spiritual Director from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

Pastor Hallman has been married to Jean Hallman since 1972, whom he affectionately describes as his partner, friend, and “left part of his brain.” They have one daughter, Erin Thomas (Scott), and a teenage granddaughter, Alana. In his personal time, Pastor Hallman enjoys the beach, rhythm and blues music, and driving his Mustang.

The Rev. Colin Kerr

Co-Chaplain

The Rev. Colin Kerr

Colin Kerr (M.Div) is the founding pastor of Parkside Church, a ELCA-PCUSA union congregation in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to imagining Parkside, he spent eight years assisting historic congregations with church renewal strategies and planting a new multi-campus college ministry at College of Charleston and the Citadel. He has a passion for budget travel, beach volleyball, and surfing badly. Colin is grateful every day to be married to his partner in love, life, and ministry, Erin, and is a proud girl-dad to his daughters Arland and Abigail. His most recent book is Faith Hope Love: The Essentials of Christianity for the Curious, Confused, and Skeptical.

The Rev. Michele C. Fischer

Necrologist

The Rev. Michele C. Fischer

The Rev. Michele Fischer attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. She graduated and was ordained in 2000 after accepting a call in the Metro DC Synod, where she met her husband, Neal.  She has served calls in the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod and the Upstate New York Synod. Ten years ago, Neal accepted the Director of Communications position with the South Carolina Synod, which led them here.  She currently serves Pomaria Lutheran Chuirch and St. John’s Lutheran Church- Irmo and is the Dean for the Heartland Conference.  She and Neal live in Newberry with her mother Judy and step-father, Claude and three cats named for Pittsburgh sports heroes: Sydney Clawsby, Mario LeMew and Roberta “Bertie” Clawmente. 

Celebrations

Celebrating 50 years of Ordination

Rev. Enoch Arden Hallman, Jr.
Ordained: 1975
Retired: 2013

Rev. Warren Gregory Martin
Ordained: 1975
Retired: 2013

South Carolina Synod Congregational Special Anniversaries

275 years – Mount Pleasant, Ehrhardt

225 years – St. Nicholas, Fairfax

75 years – Good Shepherd, Columbia

50 Years – All Saints (Mt. Pleasant)

50 Years – Shepherd of the Sea (Murrell’s Inlet)

Schedule

Thursday, June 12, 2025

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10:30 a.m.

Foyer / Registration

Display Table Check In and Set Up

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11:30 a.m.

Foyer / Registration

Registration Opens

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1:15 p.m.

Committee of Reference and Counsel

By invitation only.

Committee of Conduct of Elections

By invitation only.

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1:30 p.m.

Meeting Space

Orientation for Voting Members

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2:00 p.m.

Meeting Space

Streaming on YouTube

Assembly Session One

Gathering Music

Order for Opening of Assembly and Worship

Welcome and Announcements

Introduction of Voting Procedure

Organization of Assembly

Reference and Counsel Introduction of Special Guests

Report of Synod Council 

Prepartation for Vice President Election

*Nominating Committee Report

* Nominations from the floor of this Assembly must include a completed biographical information form.  This form is available at the Secretary’s desk.  Please see Secretary Ozzie Herlong.  We ask anyone bringing a nomination from the floor complete this form and turn in to Secretary Herlong.  He will need to receive this completed form by no later than 5:30 p.m. at the close of the first session.

Report of Synod Council

Announcements

Prayer

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5:45 p.m.

Foyer / Registration Area

Cocktail Reception and Dinner on Your Own

Please join us in a time of thanksgiving for the work of Deacon Lexanne Graves as Vice President.

Dinner is on your own.

Friday, June 13, 2025

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8:00 a.m.

Foyer / Registration

Registration Opens

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8:30 a.m.

Meeting Space

Streaming on YouTube

Assembly Session Two

Gathering Time

Opening Prayer

Results of First Ecclesiastical Ballot for Vice President

New to Synod

Report of Reference and Counsel

Ministry Story – NovusWay

Report from Conduct of Elections for Second Ballot for Vice President

Report of Registration

Prayer for Second Ballot Vice President Election

Second Ballot for Vice President Election

Results of Second Ballot for Vice President Election

Ministry Story

Report of Synod Council

Report of Registration

Prayer for General Election

General Elections Ballot One

Ministry Story

Break

Ministry Story

Presentation of Candidates for Vice President Election Third Ballot

Report of Registration

Prayer for Third Ballot Vice President Election

Third Ballot for Vice President Election

Results of Third Ballot for Vice President Election

50th Anniversary of Ordination Video

JELC Greetings

Announcements

Prayer for Lunch

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8:00 a.m.

Foyer / Registration

Registration Opens

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12:00 p.m.

Dining Space

Lunch

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1:30 p.m.

Meeting Space

Streaming on YouTube

Assembly Session Three and a Service of Remembrance

Gathering Time

Worship with Necrology Report

Ministry Story

Ministry Story

Report of Registration General Elections Ballot (if needed)

Prayer for General Elections Ballot (if needed)

General Elections Ballot (if needed)

Report of the Vice President

Ministry Story

Report from ELCA Representative

Presentation of Candidates for Vice President Election Fourth Ballot

Report of Registration

Prayer for Fourth Ballot Vice President Election

Fourth Ballot for Vice President Election

Results of Fourth Ballot for Vice President Election

Ministry Story

Report of Synod Council

Ministry Story

Break

Ministry Story

Ministry Story

Recognition of Anniversary Planning Team

Ministry Story

Ministry Story

200th Anniversary Keynote – Susan McArver

Announcements and Instructions for Dinner

Prayer for Dinner

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5:30 p.m.

Dining Space

200th Anniversary Celebration Dinner

Saturday, June 14, 2025

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9:00 a.m.

Meeting Space

Streaming on YouTube

Assembly Session Four

Gathering Time

Opening Prayer

Ministry Story

Report of Reference and Counsel (if needed)

Ministry Story

Preparation for Fifth Ballot for Vice President Election

Report of Registration

Prayer for Fifth Ballot Vice President Election

Fifth Ballot for Vice President Election

Results of Fifth Ballot for Vice President Election

Bishop’s Report

Director for Evangelical Mission Report

Report of Registration General Elections Ballot (if needed)

Prayer for General Elections (if needed)

General Elections Ballot (if needed)

Report of Reference and Counsel (if needed)

Ministry Story

Report of Synod Council

Unfinished Business

Report of Reference and Counsel (Final Resolutions)

Installation of Synod Council, Vice President, and Assistant to the Bishop

Announcements

Closing of Assembly

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