By The Rev. Lisa Isenhower – Faith, Batesburg-Leesville
On Saturday, June 26, Synod Assembly voters elected members to serve on Synod Council, to attend the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2022, and to serve on the ELCA Church Council, the Mission Investment Fund Committee, and the South Carolina Lutheran Retreat Centers board. In addition, the Assembly ratified the Novus Way Board’s appointment of a new member. All but two of those elected were selected on the first ballot.
The following people were elected to serve on Synod Council:
- Becky Koch, lay woman, northern area
- Rev. Bobby Morris, rostered man at large
- Tex Davis, lay man, central area
- Virginia Herlong, lay woman at large
- Benjamin Bernstein, lay man at large
- Deacon Katie Justice, rostered minister, the eastern area
- Gracie Bellah, youth member
Danny Koon and Margaret Caughman were elected to serve on the Mission Investment Fund Grant Committee. Rev. Rebecca Wicker was elected to serve as a rostered minister on the SC Lutheran Retreat Centers board.
The following people were elected to attend the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Columbus, Ohio in 2022:
- Robert Epting, Sergio Lorenzo, and Terry Swygert were elected as lay men.
- Helen Doerpinghaus and Susan Troutman were elected as lay women.
- Revs. Lisa Isenhower, Kris Litman-Koon, and Jackie Utley were elected as rostered ministers.
- Jackson Reid was elected as a youth member.
- Rev. Leroy Cannon was elected as a person of color/language other than English.
The Rev. Jorge Leone was elected as a nominee to serve on the ELCA Churchwide Council as a person of color or person whose language is other than English.
The assembly ratified the vote of the Novus Way board to elect Lee Bugay as a member of the board.
Voters used the LUMI voting platform for online voting for the second year in a row, and the voting process seemed to run smoothly. Ample practice opportunities were provided for voters ahead of time, and a help desk was available for assembly participants throughout the day.