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And Now for Something Completely Different
Abstract: Has the Sierra Pacific Synod created the first-ever synod profile?
With the election of a new bishop looming at this year's synod assembly (April 25-27), the Sierra Pacific Synod claims to have created the first "synod profile", a self-assessment tool patterned after congregational profiles that are used in many congregations for the call process.
After a number of listening posts in 2005 and 2006, an on-line survey, and three gatherings (in Fresno, Lodi, and San Mateo), the Synod Profile Team has produced an 18-page report that consists more of questions than of answers. The profile is not a "state of the synod" report but a framework for individuals, congregations, and conferences to work out for themselves the forces that pull the synod in different directions.
Perhaps the most helpful contribution of the profile team is to provide thirteen topics that have emerged as definers of the synod's identity. In alphabetical order they are:
Bishop's Ecclesiastical Duties
Call Process
Caring for the Pastors
Communication
Diversity
Finances
Geography
Healthy, Multiplying Congregations
Identity
Leadership Development
Sexuality
Staffing of the Bishop's Office
Synod Structure
Associated with each topic are discussion questions to shed some light on the characteristic tradeoffs facing the synod in each of these areas. For those who want to follow the discussion of the profile, there is also a blog.
