Equip:
2026 SD Synod Assembly

“The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening…Moses’s father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God and bring their cases to God. Teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. You should also look for able men among all the people…Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their homes in peace.”

– Exodus 18:13, 17-23

Join us as we celebrate and remember all the ways that we are equipped as individuals, as a Synod, and as the Body of Christ to share the Gospel of God’s love and forgiveness with the world.

May 29 – May 30 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD.

Livestream on YouTube.

What to Expect

Thursday, May 28

2:00 – 5:00 PM – Displays Set Up
4:00 – 5:30 PM – Early Check-In
5:30 – 6:30 PM – Pre-Assembly Breakout Sessions

• Conversation with Dr. Ryan Cumming, Director of Theological Ethics in the ELCA churchwide organization
• LPGSD Will Signing Session (space is limited, and registration is required). Register at https://bit.ly/4vYXSf6.

7:00 – 8:30 PM – Ministry Recognitions with dessert sponsored by Luther Seminary and Wartburg Theological Seminary.

Friday, May 29

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Displays Open
8:00 AM – Check-In Opens
9:15 AM – Opening Worship with Holy Communion (Check In closed)
10:30 AM – Plenary 1
12:00 PM – Lunch and Conference Caucuses
1:00 PM – Plenary 2
3:00 PM – Break
3:30 PM – “Equipment Room” Breakout Sessions 1
4:20 PM – “Equipment Room” Breakout Sessions 2

*Voting at this year’s Synod Assembly will take place via a secure online platform. More information will be available below.

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Food Truck Service

Saturday, May 30

8:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Displays Open
8:15 AM – Morning Worship with Holy Communion
9:30 AM – Lutherans Outdoors Annual Meeting
10:00 AM – “Equipment Room” Breakout Sessions 3
10:30 AM – Break
11:00 AM – Plenary 3
12:00 PM – Close of the Assembly

*Times Subject to Change. See the proposed agenda, when available, for more details.

Registration

Regular Registration for voting members, visitors, and displayers opened on Monday, April 13, and will close on Tuesday, May 19, at 11:59 PM CT. Click here to register.

Late Registration ($50 late fee added) is open until Monday, May 25th at 12 Noon CT.

If you have questions regarding registration, please contact the assembly registrar, Lois Borchardt, at 605-274-4025 or send an email to assembly@sdsynod.org.

Formula

For additional information regarding voting members, please reference Chapter 7 of the Synod Constitution.

Churchwide Representative

Dr. Ryan Cumming
Director of Theological Ethics, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Ryan P. Cumming, Ph.D., is the Director of Theological Ethics in the ELCA churchwide organization. In this role, he directs the development of ELCA social teachings and related resources and advises on their implementation. Ryan is also a senior lecturer in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at Loyola University Chicago and has taught classes in religious studies, social ethics, business ethics, and participatory educational research at universities in Michigan and Illinois. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Christian Ethics from Loyola and a M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology from Bowling Green State University. He is the author of The African American Challenge to Just War Theory (Palgrave, 2012), and co-editor and contributor to the three-volume Forgotten Luther series from Fortress Press. Ryan lives with his family in Chelsea, Michigan, the home of Jiffy Mix, for all your muffin-making needs.

Guest Musician: Dakota Road Music

We are happy to welcome back Dakota Road Music as our guest musicians this year.

Dakota Road has become known nationally for their stirring original music that is being sung in congregations across the U.S. and beyond. They craft powerful stories of life and faith woven in colorful musical styles ranging from acoustic ballads to rocking anthems. Their songs of faith and love, hurts and hopes are shaped by a passion for justice and a vision for the church, the neighborhood and the whole world to be peace-filled welcoming places. The band members are Hans Peterson, Karol Baer, Scott Jibben, Al Berven and Larry Olson.

More Information on Friday Evening and the Online Voting Process at the Assembly

Food Truck Friday at Synod Assembly

The South Dakota Synod invites you to join us for our “Food Truck Friday” on the Friday night of Synod Assembly (May 29th). The event will take place outdoors at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (909 W. 33rd St in Sioux Falls). Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local food trucks and vendors. The list of food trucks attending the event is below (more will be added as they are confirmed). We encourage you to view their menus before attending to help the lines move as quickly as possible.

• Let Me Be Frank
• Berkes BBQ
• La Sabrosita Food Truck
• Black Iron Waffles
• Valentino’s Pizza
• SDSU Ice Cream

Those who register for the Assembly will receive a voucher for up to $15 to use at the food trucks. Please note that no change will be given, and attendees are responsible for any amount over $15. Those registered will also receive a voucher for one free scoop of ice cream at the SDSU Ice Cream Truck, thanks to the sponsorship of the Mission Investment Fund and Portico.

Online Voting at Synod Assembly

Voting at this year’s Synod Assembly will take place on the secure online platform Poll Everywhere. Congregations are responsible for ensuring that each of their voting members has a device (phone, tablet, etc.) that can connect to Wi-Fi.

• Voting members will receive their usernames and passwords to log in to the site, as well as the specific link to the Synod Assembly voting page, at registration. There will be a help table near registration to troubleshoot any issues.
• We encourage you to log in to the voting platform as soon as possible after registration. We encourage you to make sure you can log in before Plenary 1 begins, to help save time and keep the Assembly running smoothly.
• Volunteers will be available during voting to help resolve any issues.

Assembly Materials

Synod Assembly materials will be made available this year once again electronically. Download reports to your device to print or save or use the free Synod Assembly app. We will once again be using the free ELCA Guidebook App for all of our synod assembly materials.

Download the 2026 Synod Assembly App!

The South Dakota Synod Assembly Guidebook is now available to download on any smart device. Get the guide to access the most up-to-date information about our assembly, including schedules, quick links, materials, and much more.

Get our guide by clicking here.

Android and Apple iOS users:

1. From the link above, tap the “Download” button to download the free Guidebook app
2. Open Guidebook, and you can find our “2026 South Dakota Synod Assembly” guide
3. OR, if you already have the Guidebook App installed, simply search in the “find guides” section for the “2026 South Dakota Synod Assembly.”

You can also download materials on the Synod Assembly page here.

Location

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
909 W 33rd Street
Sioux Falls, SD

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church will once again be the host site for the 2023 South Dakota Synod Assembly. We are grateful to the volunteers and staff at Our Savior’s who graciously host us for this important work of the church.

For more information about Sioux Falls and places to stay, click here.

Synod Assembly Offering

The Synod Council has designated the offering for the 2026 Synod Assembly to go to support our missionaries in Nicaragua.

Anghy Aragon Alegria serves as a missionary bridging the South Dakota Synod and the Lutheran Church Faith and Hope of Nicaragua (ILFE). Anghy has been deeply rooted in the life of ILFE since childhood, growing up in a faith community that emphasizes both spiritual growth and tangible acts of service.

Anghy’s work focuses on fostering connections between the two synods, sharing stories of faith and resilience from Nicaragua, and inspiring congregations to engage in the shared mission of holistic ministry. She is passionate about demonstrating how the Gospel calls us to care for both the spiritual and physical needs of others, reflecting Jesus’ love in practical ways.

Celeste Evora serves as a missionary strengthening the relationship between the South Dakota Synod and the Lutheran Church Faith and Hope of Nicaragua (ILFE). Her work is based in Nicaragua, where she visits communities, accompanies leaders, and maintains communication between the SD Synod and ILFE, as well as welcoming delegations that travel to Nicaragua. She is also part of ILFE’s youth ministry and, as a software engineer, contributes to the church’s technology efforts by developing websites and digital materials that further the mission. Her passion is to unite faith with concrete action, helping the church respond to both the spiritual and practical needs of its communities.