Director of Evangelical Mission Report to the West Virginia – Western Maryland Synod Assembly
June 2026
(Understanding the role of the DEM and the relationship with the Synod is at the end of the report.)
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1”
As I was preparing my report for the 2026 WV-W MD Synod Assembly, this verse kept speaking to me. It speaks a truth that I encounter as I travel in the mountains and valleys of our Synod. Many of the churches which I visit are in different seasons of their lives. Some are strong and flourishing in ministry and membership while others wonder if it is time to close their doors due to the dwindling numbers of their active members. There is joy and there is grief. There is hope and there is quiet resignation.
No matter where your congregation finds itself, perhaps it is good to remember Ecclesiastes 3:11, “God has made everything suitable for its time; moreover God has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from beginning to the end.” As much as we humans like to think we are in control, this verse reminds us that we cannot fully know what God is up to. Just as the Holy Spirit has guided us in the past, we are guided now and will be into the future. Perhaps this is the crux of our dilemma…trusting that God will continue to work through all time, whether we are here or not. While we are grateful to be invited into what God is doing, it is important to remember it is God who is the doer. Trusting in that, may we find peace in whatever our circumstances are knowing God’s promise of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus will have the last word.
So, that said, if God is the doer and we are being invited into the doing, what does that look like for us in the WV-WMD Synod? To answer that, let’s look at where we are so that we can discern where we may be being led.
It could be easy to look at the situation in which our synod finds itself and give up hope. Fourteen of our congregations are without a called pastor. Several of those are being served by long-term interims for whom we are very grateful. Most of the vacancies are such that it is unlikely they will ever issue a call to a pastor or deacon. In the next 3-5 years, more of our pastors are planning to retire. The WV-W MD Synod is not unique. The reality is many Synods in the ELCA are facing the same challenge; there simply aren’t enough pastors to fill all the calls that are available.
Yet, the Gospel still needs to be carried out to those who have yet to hear it. What’s a synod to do? Perhaps a better question is, what is God doing? This is where it gets exciting!
Perhaps, the answer is to look at the life of Jesus and see what he did with the disciples… TRAIN, EQUIP, SEND.
While the challenges can seem daunting, they are also full of possibilities. It begins with developing a strong program to raise up lay leaders who take a more active role in leading worship and sharing the Gospel. Since 2020, I have noticed a strong desire in many lay people to share their faith story. I witness more and more lay folks stepping up and wanting to be trained to share God’s Word with others. This is what God is doing! The Holy Spirit is breathing new life into the church, and it’s starting in the pews. The question then becomes, how can your synod support you as you start to live into your baptismal calling in this new way? That’s where the training and equipping come into play.
Over the next year, we hope you will take advantage of some of the trainings that will be offered.
PARTICIPATE IN BIBLE STUDIES
The first and possibly most important step in deepening your Christian witness is to find a Bible Study in which to participate!
CHECK OUT THE SYNOD WEBSITE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENTS
WV-WMD | Education for Clergy & Laity
(The list that follows is included on the Synod continuing education page. These are some I want to highlight.)
GO TELL IT IN THE MOUNTAINS (GTIITM)
The Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative is a ministry of the Upper Susquehanna, Northwest Pennsylvania, and Allegheny Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Steering Committee approved the request of the WV-W MD Synod Council to join the initiative at their April 2026 meeting.
The Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative is focused on three primary goals (From their website):
- Ordained and lay preachers will be equipped to utilize traditional and non-traditional techniques including different modes of delivery to develop skills and practices that will make the gospel message more compelling.
- Aspiring preachers will be recruited and engaged in a variety of compelling preaching strategies that educate, empower, and support competency in their ministry.
- Existing members of congregations and new community audiences within our three Lutheran partner synods will respond to compelling preaching opportunities and content by integrating the gospel message into their attitudes, actions and ministries in daily life.
WV-WMD Synod Lay Worship Leaders Program (From Synod Website)
The West Virginia–Western Maryland Synod (ELCA) has developed the Synodical Lay Worship Leaders (SLWL) program to formalize and expand opportunities for laypeople to lead worship within congregations and synod events. In February 2021, the Synod Council adopted the SLWL policy, which establishes four distinct lay preacher licenses:
- Reader – leads worship and reads a sermon selected with a supervisor.
- Apprentice Preacher – leads worship and prepares their own sermon with supervisor guidance.
- Journ Preacher – independent leader preparing and preaching their own sermons.
- Master Preacher – supervises Readers and Apprentice Preachers
KINDLING FAITH THROUGH ULS (From Website)
“At its heart, Kindling Faith affirms that learning never ends. We exist to nurture lifelong theological reflection, spiritual formation, and faithful leadership—for pastors, deacons, lay leaders, and engaged laity. Our mission is to cultivate deeper faith, stronger community, and meaningful engagement with pressing issues of justice, resilience, and care for the world.” Throughout the year, Kindling Faith offers workshops and trainings open to those looking to deepen their understanding of theological issues and wanting to equip themselves with skills to function more effectively in a congregational setting.
TEEM
The Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) is a leadership formation program for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) designed to prepare individuals for ordained ministry in congregations that are “emerging” — meaning they are difficult to staff or serve due to size, location, or special needs
TEEM is for folks who have been recognized by their congregation (ministry) as having the gifts for ordained ministry and who have been identified by their synod bishop as candidates for ordination. It is not for those seeking a degree (MDiv) but for those committed to serving in ministries that may not have a traditional pastor, such as:
- Ethnic-specific or multicultural congregations
- Rural or small urban congregations
- New mission starts or redevelopment ministries
- Ministries serving people with disabilities
TEEM is non-residential and contextual-educational, meaning students:
- Serve in their current ministry while studying
- Meet with professors and local mentors regularly
- Attend campus sessions 3 times a year
The ULS program typically includes:
- 15 core courses in theology, biblical studies, pastoral care, and ministry leadership
- Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for pastoral care formation
- Internship in an approved ministry setting (internship is in the congregation to which you have been called)
If you feel called to enter the TEEM Certificate Program, please contact Bishop Riegel or Pastor Sherri.
Other opportunities for training and equipping that are offered through the Synod include:
Synod Continuing Education Events: These are held twice a year, usually in October and February. While these are primarily geared towards the rostered leaders in the Synod, they are occasionally open to lay leaders.
LARCUM (Lutherans, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and United Methodists): This is an annual gathering which chooses a topic on which representatives from the different church bodies are invited to speak.
LISTENING WITH LOVE: Rev. Marti Unger and Rev. Dr. John Unger designed this program to help you deepen your listening skills to provide compassionate care in your congregation. It is an 8-hour workshop that will change how you relate to those for whom you care. Please visit their website for more information on how to schedule a workshop for your congregation/conference.
Listening with Love
One last workshop that I would like to recommend is one that I lead called:
SAFE CHURCH: Creating Safe Spaces for all to Encounter the Love of Christ.
Working with congregations around the Synod, I realize that one of the biggest catalysts for conflict between pastor and congregation is a lack of awareness of pastoral and congregational boundaries. This workshop is developed to help congregational leaders understand the boundaries that are suggested for pastors to function in a healthy way.
“Why”, might you ask “is this a focus for the DEM?” My answer, “Having healthy relationships in congregations is crucial to evangelism.”While it is impossible to think we will ever eradicate all conflict between members and members and their pastors, I feel we must give some effort to creating spaces in which that conflict is handled in ways that bring healing to the Body of Christ.
Woven into the material in the workshops are topics on:
- Understanding Definitions and Guidelines (an ELCA document that guides pastors in conduct)
- Understanding roles of pastors, congregations, and councils through the lens of the congregation’s constitution
- Safeguarding God’s Children: How to put policies and procedures into place to protect the ministries of the congregations and volunteers from sexual misconduct Implications and cautions of AI on ministry today
If you have any questions about the opportunities listed above, please contact the Bishop or your DEM. We are here to help as you discern your call to where the Spirit is leading you.
AND, NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
Following is a description of the responsibilities of the DEM and an explanation of why/how you have such a person on Synod staff…
From where does the funding for the Director of Evangelical Mission (D.E.M.) come?
The position of the D.E.M. is supported through your mission support to the ELCA. In order to coordinate the partnership between the ELCA’s churchwide ministries and the 65 synods of this church, Directors for Evangelical Mission serve in positions shared by both of these expressions of this church. They are fully churchwide staff who are fully embraced by synods. My position in the Synod is 0.5FTE.
What is the role of the Director of Evangelical Mission?
The 4 areas of focus for a Director of Evangelical Mission include, but are not limited to:
- Missional vision and planning for the synod
- Mission development or “new starts”
- Congregational renewal or “redevelopment”
- Mission Support and stewardship
DEMs are a key resource for congregations and leaders seeking tools and counsel for starting a new ministry or revitalizing existing ministries, as well as how to identify, develop and equip leaders for mission and ministry.
The ELCA provides these services to the WV-W MD Synod through a “Purchase of Services” agreement. I serve under the direction of the Bishop and Synod Council.
Given the 4 areas of focus, here is a summary of my activity for 2025-2026
- Missional vision and planning for the Synod: Bishop and I have been discussing the mission and vision statements for the WV-W MD Synod. With the help of Synod Council, we will discern if we need to clarify the role (mission) of the Synod and better articulate its vision in this time. The current mission statement adopted in 2003 is: “Saved by grace, assembled by faith, we journey to make Christ known.” The current
vision statement was adopted in 2000 and is: “Our vision as Lutherans is to be Christ-like servants of hospitality sent to share God’s gift of grace in Jesus Christ in the community of Appalachia”. - Mission development or “new starts”: There are no “new starts” under development in the WV-W MD Synod.
- Congregational renewal or “redevelopment”: This is where most of my time is spent as your DEM. Many weekends, I am on the road providing pulpit supply for one of the 14 congregations without a called pastor. I also fill in for pastors on vacation or when invited to be a guest speaker. Each visit is also a check-in to see how I can help them discern how God is calling them going forward.
- Mission Support and Stewardship: Thank you to each of you for the offering of your time, talent, and treasure to support the ministries of your congregation, synod, and the larger church. I am always available to talk about stewardship with your congregation. Please contact me if I can help you develop a stewardship plan.
In conclusion, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Director of Evangelical Mission. I am grateful to Bishop Riegel for our partnership in serving the congregations of the WV-W MD Synod.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Sherri Schafer
Director of Evangelical Mission
WV-W MD Synod, ELCA
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