Montana Synod (ELCA)
The Montana Synod is one of the 65 synods, or dioceses, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It encompasses the state of Montana and four churches in Wyoming and supports congregational mission throughout the region.
Jessica Crist was elected Bishop of the Montana Synod in 2007. Crist is the first woman to become a bishop in the Montana Synod, ELCA. Crist succeeded Richard R. Omland, who had served the synod as bishop since 2001. Omland did not seek reelection.
She also serves as an officer of the synod council which is the governing body of the synod between assemblies. It is composed of the Bishop and 20 members elected at-large as well as from each of the 12 synodical geographic regions called clusters. There are 128 Lutheran congregations in the synod.
The ELCA has partnered its synods with other regions throughout the world and the companion synod for Montana is the Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
