Synod Vice President Barbara Carl Annual Report: 2025

It has been a joy to serve the Grand Canyon Synod as its Vice President for the past four years.  I have been blessed to work with Bishop Deborah Hutterer, and to serve with an active Synod Council.  My term will end on August 31, 2025.

The Vice President is required by the synod constitution to be the chair of the Synod Council.  I am pleased that the goals that the Synod Council set for 2024-2025 are being accomplished by this hard-working council.

One goal is to identify the tools and strategies to support congregational health and vitality. This involves being proactive and responding appropriately when the Synod Council or Office of the Bishop becomes aware of congregations that are experiencing difficulties.  The plan is to train leaders who can accompany such congregations, and work along with the Director of Evangelical Mission (DEM) and the Bishop.

Another goal is to communicate regularly with the broader synod what the Office of the Bishop and the Synod Council does and their goals.  The synod’s website is very accessible and is a wealth of current information.  E-news is blasted almost daily. People across the synod now can be well-informed of the synod’s work.

A third goal for the Synod Council is active lay ministry training. We are pleased that the first group of Synodically Authorized Ministers (SAMs) is preparing to take on congregation leadership.

Also, the Synod Council set a goal to plan to intentionally expand Spanish-language resources for rostered leaders and lay people.  More Spanish language has been included in the synod website, and work continues to be able to expand such resources in the future.

As I approach my final months as Synod Vice President, I will pray for the next Synod Vice President, and the 2025-2026 Synod Council.  And I look forward to what God will be doing through the Grand Canyon Synod in the future.