12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Pre-Assembly Workshop Registration Open

10:00 am – 1:00 pm Synod Council Meeting

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Workshops

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Synod Assembly Registration Open

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Opening Worship with Communion – Bishop Johnson Preaching

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm Late Night with Bishop Curry

Compassionate Care For Those Living With Dementia

***Pre-Registration Required for this workshop. No walk-in’s accepted***
Register here

Time: Friday 1:00-5:00 AND Saturday 2:15-6:15 (must attend BOTH sessions)

Location: Ruby 7

Workshop Description:

This program is a must for all professionals, volunteers and caregivers who provide services and care to individuals living with dementia. There is a growing need in our communities for support to those who are providing care to their loved ones living with dementia. Communities of faith and their staff and volunteers can serve as a lifeline, especially in rural areas where services and care options may not be available or accessible. This training will provide an important foundation of knowledge of symptoms, how the disease process impacts daily life and interactions, and how clergy and volunteers can use approach, communication, validation, and other important communication skills in this meaningful work.

Presenter Bio:

Cameo Rogers, CTRS, CDP, CDCM, CADDCT, serves as the Corporate Life Enrichment Manager at Immanuel, a Serving Arms Ministry of the Nebraska Synod.

She is a sought-after speaker on topics including dementia, supporting care partners through communication coaching, recreation therapy, and brain fitness. She has been recognized for her work as the 2017 National Certified Dementia Practitioner of the Year, and was published in the peer-reviewed textbook, “Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation.” She has contributed to multiple articles for Provider Magazine and is a co- host on the gerontology-focused podcast, “Kickin.”

____________________

Striving for Gender & Disability Awareness

7:00 am – 9:00 am Synod Assembly Registration Open

9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome & Announcements

9:15 am – 11:15 am Quorum, Agenda, Actions on En Bloc, Proposed Resolutions, First Round of Elections

11:15am – 11:30pm Break (Drinks & Coffee Bar)

11:30 am – 12:30 pm Keynote #1 – Presiding Bishop Curry

12:30 pm – 1:45 pm Lunch in the Crystal Ballroom

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm Treasurer’s Report

2:15 pm – 6:15 pm Workshops & Ministry Fair

5:45 pm Bar Opens

5:45 pm – 7:30 pm Willing Witness Dinner – by invitation only at the Holiday Inn

6:15 pm – 8:30 pm Supper (Grand Buffet), Bishop Johnson’s Report w/Q&A

8:30 pm Announcements for tomorrow and dismissal for the evening

Compassionate Care For Those Living With Dementia

***Pre-Registration Required for this workshop. No walk-in’s accepted***
Register here

Time: Friday 1:00-5:00 AND Saturday 2:15-6:15 (must attend BOTH sessions)

Location: Ruby 7

Workshop Description:

This program is a must for all professionals, volunteers and caregivers who provide services and care to individuals living with dementia. There is a growing need in our communities for support to those who are providing care to their loved ones living with dementia. Communities of faith and their staff and volunteers can serve as a lifeline, especially in rural areas where services and care options may not be available or accessible. This training will provide an important foundation of knowledge of symptoms, how the disease process impacts daily life and interactions, and how clergy and volunteers can use approach, communication, validation, and other important communication skills in this meaningful work.

Presenter Bio:

Cameo Rogers, CTRS, CDP, CDCM, CADDCT, serves as the Corporate Life Enrichment Manager at Immanuel, a Serving Arms Ministry of the Nebraska Synod.

She is a sought-after speaker on topics including dementia, supporting care partners through communication coaching, recreation therapy, and brain fitness. She has been recognized for her work as the 2017 National Certified Dementia Practitioner of the Year, and was published in the peer-reviewed textbook, “Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation.” She has contributed to multiple articles for Provider Magazine and is a co- host on the gerontology-focused podcast, “Kickin.”

________________________________

A Broken Land: Accompanying Our Siblings in Palestine

Time: 2:30-3:20 or 4:30-5:20

Location: Ruby 2

Workshop Description:

Resources and “What’s mine/ours to do?”: Opening the scriptures often breaks us open to questions, insights, and the mysteries of God’s grace for us all, which in turn breaks us open to the needs and gifts of our neighbors near and far, often moving us to action. In this workshop we’ll share resources for congregations developed through last fall’s Emmaus course, “Not Your Bible’s Israel”, last summer’s “Stories from the Holy Land Tour”, and NSHLA’s online gatherings to hear from those with deep connections in Palestine and Israel. Begin to explore, or dig deeper into, the scripture, the questions, God’s grace, and the voices of your neighbors in Palestine and Israel, and God’s call for you and your congregation.

Presenter Bio:

The Nebraska Synod Holy Land Accompaniment group (NSHLA) was formed as a journey of accompaniment with our Christian siblings in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.  In its early years, accompaniment trips were made to the Holy Land. Today, as we reconvene, we look for ways to strive for justice and peace and to continue to accompany those who live in the Holy Land.
What is NSHLA’s purpose?    

Simply put:  Accompaniment. We aspire to:

1. Create awareness in the Nebraska Synod so that we can be “salt and light” in regard to Middle East issues, particularly Palestinian and Israeli justice and peace.
2. Hold the situations in neighboring Middle East countries in our prayers and search for understanding and action.
3. Offer Nebraska Synod (churches, groups, and individuals) opportunities to learn, share and accompany Palestinian Christians.

The initials for our name, NSHLA, sound much like an Arabic word, “inshallah”, which means “God willing.” We pray for our partnership and hope that it grows in ways that promote understanding and peace – God willing!

________________________________

Broken Open in Baptism: Strategies for Incorporating Baptismal Living Into the Life of Your Congregation

Time: 2:30-3:20 or 4:30-5:20

Location: Ruby 5

Workshop Description:

Thriving, vibrant congregations can be found everywhere, in big cities, small towns and in all the spaces in between.  These congregations understand that their reason for being is to equip the people of God to live out their baptisms. 

Thriving, vibrant congregations provide resources and encourage their fellow siblings in Christ to continue in the covenant God made with them in holy baptism.  Join this workshop to be reminded of our baptismal promises and to learn some strategies of how you can incorporate intentional baptismal living into the life and culture of your congregation.

Presenter Bio:

Pastor Katie Gallagher, Nebraska Synod CaSTLE Project Director, is a graduate from Trinity Lutheran Seminary and brings with her over 23 years of ministry experience, having served congregations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Southern Indiana, Iowa, and most recently Northern Illinois.  When not doing church work, Pastor Katie loves hiking, herping, camping, and just being outside in general.

The CaSTLE Project, Country and Small Town Lived Ecclesiology, is a bold initiative of Wartburg Theological Seminary that revitalizes ministry in rural and small-town settings.

Supported by a $7.4M grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., the project empowers leaders and congregations to live out their faith beyond the walls of the church, rooted in community and everyday vocation.

Broken Open to Care for Our neighbors-Bread for the World letter writing and LWR kit assembly drop in station

Time: Drop in any time between 2:15-6:15

Location: Ruby 4

Workshop Description:

Stop by Ruby 4 any time Saturday afternoon. Come and go as you wish for this self-directed activity. Take some time to care for your neighbors. Write a letter to your U.S. Representatives urging them to make ending hunger a top priority. (Sample letters available so you don’t have to create a letter from scratch!). Or assemble Lutheran World Relief Care Kits with supplies provided. Information about both organizations will also be available if you want to replicate an offering of letters or care kit assembly in your own congregation. This room provides a great space to step away from the business of assembly for a few minutes for quieter fellowship, conversation, and service learning.

Organization Bios:

Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II, grounded in Lutheran theology and building on decades of experience, Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being. We work with people based on need, regardless of race, religion or nationality and we do not evangelize. We provide aid in emergencies and help families restore their lives. We partner with communities to build and grow rural economies. We break the cycle of poverty, so families and communities can thrive. Our goal is to help people build self‐sufficiency and create new community‐owned approaches to problem‐solving that will last long after our projects end.

Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger. Our mission is to educate and equip people to advocate for policies and programs that can help end hunger in the U.S. and around the world.

________________________________

Breaking Through the Funding Barrier: Grants and Grant Writing

Time: 3:30-4:20 or 5:30-6:20

Location: Ruby 3

Workshop Description:

Are you unsure of how to write a successful grant? Do you wonder why your grant applications keep getting rejected? In this workshop a grant writer will share tips and tricks for writing a successful grant application and then you will learn about how to apply for grants available to you as members of Nebraska Synod congregations including the Immanuel Vision Fund, the One Another grant, ELCA grants, the Krab Kraft Grant for accessibility and Thrivent grants.

Presenter Bio:

This workshop will be led by a panel.

________________________________

Launching From The Nest

Time: 2:30-3:20 or 4:30-5:20

Location: Diamond Ballroom

Workshop Description:

Join ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry for a time of learning and conversation.

Presenter Bio:

The Rev. Yehiel Curry is the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Elected at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 30, 2025, Presiding Bishop Curry began this role on Oct. 1, 2025.

Previously, he served as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod, where he led a synod staff and 160 congregations by providing pastoral care, preaching, teaching, administering sacraments, and overseeing ordinations and installations. He was elected synod bishop in 2019 and reelected in spring 2025. During that time, he chaired the ELCA Conference of Bishops, fostering ecumenical relationships and theological engagement across the Lutheran communion.

Prior to his role as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, Presiding Bishop Curry served as the mission developer (2007–2012) and pastor (2013–2019) of Shekinah Chapel Lutheran Church in Riverdale, Ill. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill., and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He and his wife, LaShonda, are the proud parents of three daughters.

________________________________

Prayer Practices and Stations for Individual and Congregational use

Time: 2:30-3:20 and 4:30-5:20

Location: Ruby 6

Workshop Description:

Interested in adding to your spiritual toolbox, or helping those in your congregation to do the same?  Around the theme "Broken Open" participants will experience large group, small group, and individual prayer stations that you can immediately take home and use in lots of settings and with multiple ages in your congregation or in your own prayer life.

Presenter Bios:
Pastor Breen Marie Sipes is a pastor, a full-time parent, and an all-time advocate for intergenerational ministry. She the board co-president and a facilitator for Music that Makes Community, a guest preacher in small, rural, vibrant congregations, a confirmation curriculum developer, and a volunteer children’s faith formation leader at her home church. She lives in North Platte with her husband Patrick, three amazing daughters, and one Nebraska farm dog. She enjoys making music, swimming, crafting, and supporting her girls in their many passions.

Pr. Patrick Sipes serves as the Pastor of First Evangelical Lutheran, North Platte. He is a certified spiritual director, who regularly leads his congregation in reflective prayer practices as part of worship. He enjoys DJing, home improvement, wood working, and spending time with his wonderful family.

________________________________

Youth Ministry: It’s All About Meeting Youth Where They Are At

Time: 2:30-3:20 or 4:30-5:20

Location: Ruby 3

Workshop Description:

Youth are busy. Between school activities and family schedules it seems almost impossible to gather a youth group on a Wednesday night, let alone a Sunday morning.

And there’s no good time for youth group activities. So, how do you build a community where youth can grow in their faith and feel connected to God and each other. In this workshop you’ll learn how to meet youth where they are at and build relationships and faith-full connections.

Presenter Bio:

Ian Hartfield currently serves as an Engagement Leader at Thrivent and works with the youth group at American Lutheran in Ashland. He has over 17 years of experience leading dynamic children, youth, and family ministries in a variety of settings. He is most passionate about youth mission trips and connecting with and supporting other CYF leaders. Ian has served in several leadership positions with local and national synodical and churchwide organizations. He holds a B.A. in History from Nebraska Wesleyan University and serves as the archivist for the Nebraska Synod. Ian and his wife, Meeghan have two daughters, Alexa, and Ella.

__________________________________

Broken Open to Feed Others: Reimagining Feeding Ministries

Time: 3:30-4:20 or 5:30-6:20

Location: Ruby 6

Workshop Description:

What does it look like to address the root causes of hunger in a food pantry, backpack pack program or other community feeding ministry? In this workshop we will imagine together a pivot toward sustainability and  adaptive response to changing food insecurity realities. The workshop  will include some community sharing opportunities from within the group of participants and resources from ELCA World Hunger and the Nebraska Synod

Presenter Bio:

Pastor Janet Anderson is a member of the Nebraska Synod Micah 6:8 team which oversees the One Another and ELCA world hunger grant programs. Pastor Janet serves as Pastor at Christ Lutheran in Louisville. She is a graduate of Wartburg Seminary with a focus on mission development/redevelopment and Hispanic ministry, a member of the HSP Hispanic Leadership Network and a certified spiritual director.

__________________________________

Faith Forward for Rural and Small Congregations

Time: 3:30-4:20 or 5:30-6:20

Location: Ruby 5

Workshop Description:

Come ready for hands-on learning! At Faith Forward, we often say, practice in congregation what you hope families will do at home. Together, we’ll explore practical ways to weave faith into the everyday routines of both family and church life. We’ll also highlight the benefits and opportunities of cross-generational ministry—especially in smaller congregations. Faith Forward is a grant-funded initiative that comes alongside rural and small ELCA congregations to empower, equip, and encourage parents and grandparents in passing down our faith in Christ to the next generation.

Presenter Bio:

Kristi Wicks is the Director of Faith Forward at Grand View University.

She studied Public Relations at Drake University and enjoyed previously working in event planning and in urban youth ministry before Faith Forward. When not working, she enjoys time with her husband and their five boys- cheering on at many of their soccer games, being outdoors, and sneaking in some quiet in a good book.

________________________________

Songs of Reformation, Transformation and Liberation

Time: 3:30-4:20 or 5:30-6:20

Location: Diamond Ballroom

Workshop Description:

As we look to songs of the past and music of today, what do they have to teach us about the power of music to shape congregational life, especially how we worship?

Participants of all backgrounds and skill levels are invited to experience music from a tapestry of cultures and musical traditions, and to reflect on:

• singing as a spiritual practice that forms and transforms identity through listening and collaboration;
• practices of music leadership that help strengthen and liberate voices;
• ways congregational singing roots us in our faith and expands our understanding of the Divine.

Each person will leave with new music to share, as well as experiences of learning and teaching they can apply in their context

Presenter Bio:

Paul Vasile (he/him/his) is a church musician, teacher, coach, and composer who finds his greatest joy in collaborative and community-centered work. Committed to modeling expansive, imaginative, and hospitable experiences of music making wherever he goes, Paul's leadership builds trust, invites spaces of creativity, vulnerability, and play, and supports practices of reflection and holistic learning. For the past decade he has offered short- and long-term transitional leadership, consulting services, and creative resources to faith communities in seasons of discernment, challenge, and transformation.

________________________________

The Power of Mattering in A Biblical Context

Time: 3:30-4:20 or 5:30-6:20

Location: Ruby 2

Workshop Description:

This interactive session will explore how the biblical principles of value and recognition shape our understanding of mattering in our lives, communities, and relationships. Inspired by Zach Mercurio’s book "Mattering," this workshop emphasizes the importance of recognizing individual worth through the lens of faith. Participants will engage in thoughtful discussions, hands-on activities, and reflective exercises, all designed to foster a deeper understanding of the significance of mattering as rooted in scripture.

Presenter Bios:

Pastor Miriam Blair is bivocational. She serves as Pastor of First Lutheran in Omaha and as the Inclusiveness and Diversity Manager at Kutak Rock. She is known for delivering powerful and engaging presentations across a wide array of topics. Her expertise spans areas such as inclusion, leadership, professionalism, purpose, caregiving, parenting, relationships, and marriage. With experience in both keynote addresses and interactive workshops, Miriam has had the privilege of speaking at corporate retreats, conferences, assemblies, and camps. Miriam is an Army brat who has lived in Kansas, Virginia, Nebraska, and Karlsruhe Germany, which has enriched her perspectives. She and her husband of 35+ years have parented 21 (biological, adopted, fostered and loved-in) children.

Rev. Dr. Jon Gathje: Pastor Jon has served Trinity Lutheran Church in Omaha since the fall of 2018. Previously, he served at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, California from 2014-2018. He completed his doctoral work at Fuller Seminary in 2020 (wondering about music’s role in faith formation), and loves his wife (Kaitlin), his son (Benny), his five fur-children (Luther, Osito, Penny, Lucy, and Macy), gardening, protesting, taco trucks, and a cappella singing.

Pastors Blair and Gathje both serve of the Nebraska Synod R.A.R.E. (Racial Awareness, Reconciliation and Engagement) team and are presenting this workshop on behalf of the R.A.R.E. team.

8:00 am – 8:15 am Welcome & Announcements

8:15 am – 8:45 am Vote on 2027 Budget, Late Resolutions

8:45 am – 10:00 am Keynote #2 – Bishop Curry

10:00 am – 11:30 am Closing Worship & Closing of Assembly – Presiding Bishop Curry - LIVESTREAMED here - https://www.youtube.com/@NebraskaSynod

12:00pm Dismissal and Final Clean-up