How do we describe the landscape of the Synod in preparation for a Bishop election?

Context

The Southwestern Washington Synod is one of 65 synods that comprise the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Synod staff, in collaboration with the Synod Council, are called to accompany, support, equip and encourage the Synod body (80+ congregations) through facilitation, resourcing, stewardship, connection and pastoral care. In June of 2025, voting members of the Synod Assembly will elect a new bishop to a six-year term of leadership; in advance of that election, Synod staff wanted to develop a Ministry Site Profile (MSP) – a document that described the opportunities and challenges of the region – in an effort to adequately inform potential candidates about the position itself as well as its broader context. 

Research

Before connecting with Beyond Data, ELCA Synod Staff conducted multiple listening sessions and 1:1 interviews with key leaders involving over 200 people in total. The session participants and key leaders were asked to reflect on the Synod’s Vision and Mission statement, current and future ministries, leadership skills and gifts that are most important in the next Bishop, and the inherent tensions in the position. Using the post-it notes (raw data) and conversation summaries as well as checklist (survey) and regional census data, Beyond Data analyzed the body of qualitative and quantitative evidence, drawing out themes and identifying key findings that are relevant now and into the future for the next Bishop.

Deliverable

The final MSP was intended to serve as a discernment tool to prepare both candidates and voting members for the upcoming Bishop election. Using a standard MSP template, Beyond Data summarized the findings from the body of evidence in a manner that could be easily and widely shared in an attractive, easy-to-read format. The online “magazine” contained pictures and graphs that depicted the region, links to additional detailed information, summaries of remarks from lay and rostered leaders as related to their perceptions of the region’s challenges, and commentary on some of the tensions the next Bishop will face.