The 2025 South Dakota Synod Assembly was held on May 30-31, 2025, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD. Pastors, deacons, lay members, and visitors gathered each day in worship to center ourselves on the necessary work of the church. Assembly participants were invited to celebrate all the ways that we are called as individuals, as a Synod, and as the Body of Christ to share the Gospel of God’s love and forgiveness with the world. In addition to worship and learning, here are some of the highlights of the Synod Assembly:

  • Rev. Constanze Hagmaier was re-elected as Bishop of the South Dakota Synod on the first ballot of the bishop election process, with 312 votes out of 376 legal votes cast. Her first term was guided by the theme Journeying Together, and was marked by the pandemic, a focus and support for rural ministry, and receiving two grants from the Lilly Foundation to support digital learning and nurturing children in faith and prayer throughout the state.
  • ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton delivered the ELCA report to the Assembly. Together, the congregations in the South Dakota Synod made it possible for the synod to share $698,143 with the churchwide organization to support our ministry together. Our deep faith and strong relationships across the ELCA provide the foundation for Mission Support sharing each year. Bishop Eaton also highlighted the work of Lutheran Disaster Response and ELCA World Hunger, as well as the recently published “God’s Love Made Real” Report with strategic recommendations to guide the ELCA’s future.
  • Bishop Constanze Hagmaier shared highlights of the past year of Synod ministry and invited members of the Assembly to see the challenges facing us as invitations to creativity and resourcefulness, as we trust that God will work through us to build and renew our ministry together. Bishop Hagmaier also updated the Assembly on the progress of the implementation of the two grants our Synod has been awarded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., and how they have fortified our capacity to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities through things like the Pasque Learning Community, the Rural Ambassadors Program, and the Holy Playground Initiative. Finally, she also previewed the 2025 Churchwide Assembly happening this summer and encouraged the Assembly to remember that whatever debates and disagreements will take place over the issues discussed there, when we look beyond ourselves and focus on Christ’s mission, those “big issues” shrink in light of our neighbors’ needs and God’s promises.
  • The agenda also featured two panel discussions. One focused on the programs implemented through the Lilly grants mentioned above, the other on the work of the Associates to the Bishop.
  • With the bishop election process ending quickly, two new items were added to the agenda. Dr. Dawn Rundman spoke to the Assembly about the work of Augsburg Fortress and her research on “Early Brain Development, Faith Formation and Worship.” Director for Evangelical Mission Rev. Jonathan Vehar also led the Assembly in small group discussions about some of the joys and challenges of ministry in the context of their communities.
  • Throughout the assembly, Rev. Jonathan Rundman provided music leadership. Pastor Jonathan is a Midwest-based songwriter, performer, and recording artist. His critically acclaimed songs have been highlighted in publications such as Billboard, The New York Times, and Christian Century, and have received radio airplay from coast to coast and in Europe.
  • Actions taken by the Synod Assembly include:
    • Election of new South Dakota Synod Council Members and approval of synod committee members.
    • Approval of new compensation and guidelines for rostered and lay staff.
    • The 2025 Mission Plan for the South Dakota Synod was adopted.

Thank you to all who participated in the Synod Assembly this year! You can watch a replay of the Assembly on our YouTube page. You can view the program of the Ministry Recognition event held on the evening of May 29 here, and a photo album of the Assembly here. 

You can view the worship services, sermons, and the State of the Synod at these links:

Here’s a list of the videos shown at the Assembly:

Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2026 Synod Assembly, which will be held from May 29-30, 2026, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.

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