Sierra Pacific Synod

The Sierra Pacific Synod is one of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It covers central and northern California and northern Nevada and supports ELCA congregations throughout that region. It is headed by a bishop, currently Mark W. Holmerud who was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2014.[2]

Sierra Pacific Synod
Location
CountryUnited States
Territorynorthern and central California, northern Nevada
HeadquartersSacramento and Burlingame, California
Statistics
Congregations182[1]
Members43,068 (baptized, 2014)[1]
Information
DenominationEvangelical Lutheran Church in America
Established1988
Current leadership
BishopMark W. Holmerud
Map
Website
www.spselca.org

It is subdivided into 9 conferences each headed by a dean.[3][4]

  1. Redwood Mountain covering the northernmost part of the synod
  2. Bridges covering the north and northeastern parts of the San Francisco Bay area
  3. Capitol Valley covers congregations around the California state capital, Sacramento
  4. Sierra Nevada Foothill covers congregations in the Sierra Nevada mountains and also Nevada.
  5. San Francisco Peninsula covers congregations from San Francisco to Mountain View
  6. El Camino Real covers congregations from Sunnyvale south along the coast.
  7. Mt. Diablo covers the south and interior parts of the east side of the San Francisco Bay area.
  8. Sierra Central Valley covers the California Central Valley south of Sacramento but north of Fresno.
  9. Central San Joaquin Valley covers the Fresno area

The synod like many ELCA synods is a companion of a non-US Lutheran church. Sierra Pacific's companions are the Taiwan Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church of Rwanda, and the Salvadoran Lutheran Church.[5]

Bishops current and former:

  • Mark W. Holmerud (2008–current)
  • David G. Mullen (2002–2008)[6][7]
  • Robert W. Mattheis (1994–2002), resigned due to illness[7]

Well known churches in the synod include St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church. Both were suspended from the denomination in 1990 and then expelled in 1995 for ordaining gay and lesbian pastors. After the ELCA changed its rules on ordaining gay and lesbian pastors in 2009 they rejoined in 2011 and 2012 respectively.[8][9]

References
  1. "Your Synod at a Glance: Sierra Pacific" (PDF). ELCA. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  2. Synod, Sierra Pacific. "Rev. Mark W. Holmerud - Sierra Pacific Synod". Sierra Pacific Synod. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  3. "Map of congregations by conference". Sierra Pacific Synod. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. Synod, Sierra Pacific. "Our Conferences - Sierra Pacific Synod". Sierra Pacific Synod. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  5. "Companion Synod Relationships by Synod" (PDF). ELCA. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  6. "Mark Holmerud Elected Bishop of ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod". ELCA. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  7. "David Mullen Elected Bishop of ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod". 29 April 2002. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  8. Berton, Justin (12 February 2011). "2 S.F. Lutheran churches win fight for gay pastors". SFGate. SFGate. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  9. Koskey, Andrea (18 July 2012). "San Francisco church rejoins Lutherans years after inclusion of gay pastor - by - The San Francisco Examiner". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
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