†S8.11. The bishop shall be elected by the Synod Assembly. The bishop shall be a pastor who is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
†S8.12. As this synod's pastor, the bishop shall be an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament who shall:
a. Preach, teach, and administer the sacraments in accord with the Confession of Faith of this church.
b. Have primary responsibility for the ministry of Word and Sacrament in this synod and its congregations, providing pastoral care and leadership for this synod, its congregations, its ordained ministers, and its other rostered leaders.
c. Exercise solely this church's power to ordain (or provide for the ordination by another Synodical bishop of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for the office of ordained ministry.
d. Commission (or provide for the commissioning of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for service as associates in ministry; consecrate (or provide for the consecration of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for service as deaconesses; and consecrate (or provide for the consecration of) approved candidates who have received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for service as diaconal ministers of this church.
e. Attest letters of call for persons called to serve congregations in the synod, letters of call for persons called by the Synod Council, and letters of call for persons called by the Church Council on the roster of this synod.
f. Install (or provide for the installation of):
1) the pastors of all congregations of this synod;
2) ordained ministers called to extraparish service within this synod; and
3) persons serving in the other rostered ministries within this synod.
g. Exercise leadership in the mission of this church and in so doing:
1) Interpret and advocate the mission and theology of the whole church;
2) Lead in fostering support for and commitment to the mission of this church within this synod.
3) Coordinate the use of the resources available to this synod as it seeks to promote the health of this church's life and witness in the areas served by this synod;
4) Submit a report to each regular meeting of the Synod Assembly concerning the synod's life and work; and
5) Advise and counsel this synod's related institutions and organizations.
h. Practice leadership in strengthening the unity of the Church and in so doing;
1) Exercise oversight of the preaching, teaching, and administration of the sacraments within this synod in accord with the Confession of Faith of this church;
2) Be responsible for administering the constitutionally established processes for the resolution of controversies and for the discipline of ordained ministers, other rostered leaders, and congregations of this synod;
3) Be the chief ecumenical officer of this synod;
4) Consult regularly with other synodical bishops and the Conference of Bishops;
5) Foster awareness of other churches throughout the Lutheran world communion and, where appropriate, engage in contact with leaders of those churches;
6) Cultivate communion in faith and mission with appropriate Christian judicatory leaders functioning within the territory of this synod; and
7) Be ex officio a member of the Churchwide Assembly.
i. Oversee and administer the work of this synod and in so doing:
1) Serve as the president of the synod corporation and be the chief executive and administrative officer of this synod, who is authorized and empowered, in the name of this synod, to sign deeds or other instruments and to affix the seal of this synod;
2) Preside at all meetings of the Synod Assembly and provide for the preparation of the agenda for the Synod Assembly, Synod Council, and the council's Executive Committee;
3) Ensure that the constitution and bylaws of the synod and of the churchwide organization are duly observed within this synod, and that the actions of the synod in conformity therewith are carried into effect;
4) Exercise supervision over the work of the other officers;
5) Coordinate the work of all synodical staff members;
6) Appoint all committees for which provision is not otherwise made;
7) Be a member of all committees and any other organizational units of the synod, except as otherwise provided in this constitution;
8) Provide for preparation and maintenance of synodical rosters containing
a) the names and addresses of all ordained ministers of this synod and a record of the calls under which they are serving or the date on which they become retired or disabled; and
b) the names and addresses of all other rostered persons of this synod and a record of the positions to which they have been called or the date on which they become retired or disabled;
9) Annually bring to the attention of the Synod Council the names of all rostered persons on leave from call or engaged in approved graduate study in conformity with the constitution, bylaws, and continuing resolutions of this church and pursuant to prior action of this synod through the Synod Council;
10) Provide for prompt reporting to the secretary of this church of:
a) additions to and subtractions from the rosters of this synod and the register of congregations;
b) the issuance of certificates of transfer for rostered persons in good standing who have received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested, regular letter of call under the jurisdiction of another synod;
c) the entrance of the names of such persons for whom proper certificates of transfer have been received;
11) Provide for preparation and maintenance of a register of the congregations of this synod and the names of the laypersons who have been elected to represent them; and
12) Appoint a statistician of this synod, secure the parochial reports of the congregations and make the reports available to the secretary of this church for collation, analysis, and distribution of the statistical summaries to this synod and the other synods of this church.
S8.12.01. The bishop shall convene a meeting of the deans of the synod at least annually.S8.12.02. Either the bishop or the dean of a conference shall visit each congregation of this synod at least once every two years.
S8.14. The bishop may have such assistants as this synod shall from time to time authorize.
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