Lay Representatives

Synod guidelines for election of lay members of the Assembly are found in the Synod Constitution, Section 7, which reads: 

S7.21.02. Two lay members elected by each congregation, normally one of whom shall be male and one of whom shall be female, shall be voting members of the Synod Assembly.

How many additional Voting Members may my congregation send?

In 2018, the Synod Council approved the following resolution establishing a process for allowing additional Voting Members for the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly,

1. Congregations of the Southern Ohio Synod who meet the following baptized, confirmed and worship thresholds as stated on their submitted reports to the ELCA in the calendar year of the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly will receive the following additional voting members to the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.

a. Congregations exceeding 750 baptized members, 500 confirmed members and 250 worshippers (average weekly attendance) shall receive one additional lay voting member at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.

b. Congregations exceeding 1500 baptized members, 1000 confirmed members and 500 worshippers (average weekly attendance) shall receive two additional lay voting members (one male and one female) at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.

c. Congregations exceeding 2250 baptized members, 1500 confirmed members and 750 worshippers (average weekly attendance) shall receive three additional lay voting members (at least one of a different gender) at the Southern Ohio Synod Assembly.

Congregations that desire additional voting members should submit a request to Susan Barton-Nonno (sbarton-nonno@southernohiosynod.org), including numbers of baptized members, confirmed members, and average weekly attendance as reported on the 2017 Parochial Report. After she has confirmed those numbers, she will contact the congregation with the number of Voting Members allocated.