2026 Synod Assembly Actions

The 2026 Southwest California Synod met at the Pasadena Hilton May 29th and 30th. Resolutions were passed regarding support for Fe Y Esperanza, with clarification on their history and the synod’s involvement in that ministry, support for the World Council of Churches call for participation in a decade of Climate Justice, and bearing witness to the pain of students and faculty at California Lutheran University after the recent termination of staff. The language for these resolutions may be found HERE.

Our 2027-2028 budget was passed, and the following people were elected:

Lisa Curtis: Vice President (2nd term)

Viv Vega and Robert Siemer: Synod Council lay at-large members (2nd term)

Pastor Misael Fajardo-Perez: Synod Council clergy at-large member (2nd term)

Pastors Diana Edis and Kenneth Davis: Synod Council clergy at-large member (1st term)

Karen Tomlinson: Synod Council Twin Valleys Conference Representative (2nd term)

Julie Castongia: Synod Council South Bay Conference Representative (1st term)

Pastor Sharon Richter: Synod Council Foothills Conference Representative (1st term)

Judith Tutt-Starr, Ronald Keith Wortham, Rev. Glen Egertson, Kimberley Crosby: Endowment Committee

Enid McGraw, Martha Abelina Avila, Ruth Ause: Consultation Committee

Last week we thanked several leaders of the synod assembly planning team. This week we wish to lift up some of those who did the operational tasks of the assembly: Robin Lujan and Karen Boon (administrative support), Deanna Zercher (event planner), Stacey Beaman (communications), Bill Nuzzo and Juan Mansilla (property), Julia Morales (translation coordinator) and June Kline (bookkeeper) from synod staff, our ASL and Spanish translators, Eric Berg (slides/media), Pastor Nikki Fielder (stage manager), Pastor Libby Denton (rundown and script support), Pastor Amy Beveridge (video compilation) and Kristal Shipp (registrar). Your synod assembly experience was much better because of these folks!