Synod Committees
Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions
The Rocky Mountain Synod (RMS) is one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. By our Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions, the Synod Assembly is the synod's primary legislative body, and the Synod Council served as the board of directors and interim legislative authority between assemblies. Within the governance, standing committees and ministry boards carry specific responsibilities - oversight, mission strategy, discipline, finance, candidacy support, and more - deriving their authority from the RMS Constitution in alignment with the ELCA's churchwide governing documents.
Committees are the operations arms of the synod governance and mission. They help the Bishop, Synod Council, and Synod Assembly carry out ministry, maintain accountability, set direction, and coordinate shared work across our five-state territory (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and western Texas).
Synod Committees & What They Do
Here's a list of key RMS committees/boards, with short explanations of each and what they're about, as well as committee members and points of contact.
The Consultation Committee (rostered + lay) is responsible for offering counsel when disputes or concerns arise in congregations, clusters, or involving rostered ministers; it helps the Bishop and Synod Council with mediation and resolution processes.
The Committee on Discipline (rostered + lay) handles formal disciplinary matters under Chapter 20 of the ELCA Constitution and Bylaws.
The Audit Committee consists of people (not staff) who assist the Synod Council in oversight of accounting, financial reporting, internal control systems, and external audit. The RMS Consitution mandates an annual audit of financial records.
Chaired by the treasurer, the Finance Committee prepares the synod's comprehensive budget for Synod Council approval and recommends review of invested funds.
The Candidacy Committee is responsible for recruiting, preparing, and evaluating candidates for rostered ministry (Word and Sacrament - Pastors; Word and Service - Deacons), recommending seminary board representatives, and assessing ministry needs in the synod's territory.
The Campus Ministry Committee is focused on outreach to students/faculty/staff at institutions of higher education within the synod territory. It supports campus ministry agencies, develops budgets and grant applications, and encourages new models of ministry.
The Mission Outreach Committee/Board is charged with planning and coordinating mission outreach within the territory and globally; supporting new congregational development, consulting with churchwide agencies, and reviewing mission activities.
The Congregational Ministries Committee/Board works to equip and resource congregations to participate in God's mission in their context; collaborates with the Synod Council and churchwide ministries; supports congregational vitality and innovation.
The Global Church Network within the synod that builds connections to global missions, missionaries, companion synods (e.g. in Madagascar), coordinates global engagement opportunities, and interprets global church work for the synod.
