Coming to the Feast Scholarship Offering

Your synod staff and council are aware of the cost of Assemblies and the difficulty for some congregations in paying for their voting members. Because of the need to reserve facilities ahead of time our 2010 Assembly will also be in a major hotel setting.
However, other alternatives are being considered for 2011.

In the meantime the following financial changes
will be implemented for 2009:

Unified Meal and Registration Fee: In past years we have allowed partial fees for part time attendees relative to our meal plan. Unfortunately we are unable to continue this practice and will be charging a single registration fee this year that includes all meals. This will be the same for everybody so please send Voting Members who are able to stay for the entire Assembly.

Coffee: Coffee service is incredibly expensive in hotel settings, approximately $2 a cup. The absence of coffee last year elicited more complaints than any other single issue. There will be a volunteer “coffee contribution” box on your registration form. Those who wish to support coffee service may do so. We will provide service for as many sessions as we have contributions to cover. We will also look for sponsors who may wish to fund a coffee break for us.

“Come to the Feast” Scholarship Program: Because we want all our congregations present at our 2009 Assembly the Synod Council has authorized funds for congregational support. The program will work as follows:

• This program is designed to support lay, Voting Member attendance.
• Your Synod Council has authorized funds to pay the full registration fee (meals and program) for each of two duly elected congregational Voting Members for the smallest 10% of congregations in our synod. Housing and transportation (subsidized as in the past) are still the responsibility of the congregation.
• The Synod Council has also authorized funds to pay the full registration fee of one lay Voting Member from the second 10% of small budget congregations in our synod. The estimated cost of our “Come to the Feast” scholarship program is approximately $4,500.
• Along with the “Coffee Service” contribution box on registration forms congregations will also find a “Come to the Feast” contribution box. Any Voting Members or congregations wishing to support this effort will be able to make a contribution in this manner.
• A list of qualifying congregations will be published prior to the April 1, 2009 registration mailing.

Finally, please note the sheet called Come to the Feast. We know Assemblies are expensive and that sending Voting Members is hard for smaller congregations. There is no easy way around this, but we will be trying a new method of mutual support and invitation this year. We want all congregations to send Voting Members and be a central part of our 2009 Synod Assembly.

I sincerely hope this information is helpful. As a leader in your congregation please help your people to be involved and active. Thank you for your assistance. We look forward to a wonderful Assembly in 2009.

Sincerely,
Dave Brauer-Rieke, bishop
Oregon Synod – ELCA