Each July, School takes place at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa
What is Synod School?
Synod School is a learning and personal enrichment experience for people of all ages. School seeks to create an environment of hospitality, healing, and hope. The week is designed for laity and clergy as well as individuals and families with classes and activities for adults, youth, and children. 2024 is the 70th year of Synod School in Iowa. People will come from all over the country with their friends and families to share in this week of worship, study, play, and life together. It is an opportunity to learn something new, to continue conversations begun by keynote speakers with others over meals or a board game, to share talents of creativity and music, to worship without being in charge, to be energized for service, and to enjoy not having to cook for a week.
Why should I attend?
Come…
— To participate in a unique experience of Christian community as we worship, study, play, and live together;
— To grow in faith through action, relationships, and a centering of the spirit;
— For continuing education, for a special family experience, or for individual growth;
— To take it all in, then return home to share and serve.
2024 Synod School took place July 21st through July 26th
2024 Synod School Theme: More Than We Can Imagine
“Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”
Eph. 3-20-21
The group that gathered to plan for the first Synod School event seventy years ago could not have imagined what brings us to Synod School in 2024. It has become more than they could have imagined! There were 544 people in attendance which included 11 people from our congregation. Multi-generation families, tie dye, more classes proposed than we had room for, “the best week of the entire year”….
As we look to the future of the Church, we explored what will it look like? What innovations are already happening? What is yet to come? As we think about the lives of the young people in our lives, what will their futures be? What innovations will renew their lives and ministries? God is already doing things we cannot even imagine. What a difference can that make in our lives and ministries? We explored all these questions and pondered the answers throughout the week.
For more information about Synod School please contact Pastor Katie Estes at kestes@firstpresgreenbay.org or our Director of Children, Youth and Families, Joel Morien, at ce@firstpresgreenbay.org or call (920) 437-8121.
2023 Synod School Theme: Our Family Story
…All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world’s first day.”
Matthew 13:34-35-34-35 MSG
The theme for Synod School 2023 was “Our Family Story.” As living and breathing entities of Christ, we are each natural storytellers—whether we believe so or not. Each experience we carry is sewn into the tapestry that our ancestors created, and these experiences carry us forward toward relationships and connection with others. Stories from the Bible connect us as children of God. We shared time together learning about the differences between historical, literary, and theological “chairs” and why, to fully understand stories from the Bible, we must take time in all three chairs to better know the rich characters and lessons that we have been given. In a time when biblical stories are picked apart to suit a particular message, we gathered and studied familiar stories in new ways in hopes of gaining a new closeness with God, and each other.
2022 Synod School was themed “Experiencing Belonging“
…so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually, we are members one of another.”
Romans 12:5
