The Virginia Synod is one of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, consisting of the entire state of Virginia except for several counties and cities in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed in 1988 and currently has over 9300 congregations and 3.6 million members in all 50 states. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther. The offices of the Bishop are located in the historic Bittle Hall on the campus of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. The synod consists of 257 pastors serving 153 organized congregations within 11 conferences. The oldest congregation in Virginia is Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison, Virginia which was founded in 1717. The newest congregation in Virginia is Grace and Glory Lutheran Church in Palmyra, Virginia which was founded in 2001. The synod partners with the Islands District of Papua New Guinea through the ELCA Companion Synod Program, and coordinates sustainable support for people in need of relief from malarial disease, hunger, and disaster. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the synod works to find and feed hungry children and advocate for universal breakfast in the classroom following models such as School breakfast club and Oslo breakfast.
Bishops
The Bishop oversees the conferences of the synod and serves as the overall leader, mentor, and shepherd of ecclesiastical life throughout the synod.
Each conference is headed by a Dean. Each Dean is a member of the Office of the Bishop and serves as the representative of the Bishop to the conference.
History of the Virginia Synod
The first Lutheran Synod in America was the German Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania, organized in St. Michael's church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1748, with six ordained ministers and an almost equal number of lay representatives from the different congregations. There were, at that time, only eleven Lutheran ministers in all the colonies. As the number of Lutherans grew, Virginia congregations were formed into the Synod of Maryland and Virginia 1820-1829. The Synod of Virginia was established on August 11, 1829. The sixth convention of the Virginia Synod met in Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison County, Virginia on October 11, 1834. Rev. Thomas W. Miller was elected, president ; and Rev. William Scull, secretary. Three candidates received ordination. It was at this meeting that missionary and educational societies were first organized, and which continued their helpful work for many years. Through these ministries, the people became acquainted with Rev. Miller. They afterward extended him a call which was accepted. His parishioners moved him in wagons from his former pastorate in Botetourt County, Virginia and he began his pastoral work among them about the first of April, 1835.
