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The Roots of Our Continuing Education and Faith Formation

The Southeastern Synod (SES) is one of ELCA’s 65 synods, encompassing 148 diverse congregations, 9 campus ministries, and 7 new mission sites across Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Since the first annual ELCA SES assembly in 1988, the roots of our continuing education and faith formation run deep. Over the past seven years alone, the Synod has provided webinars, workshops, forums, and retreats, among other educational offerings, for thousands of individuals.
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Equipping, empowering, and engaging God's people to love and serve (2019-2025)

In 2019, the Rev. Dr. Kevin Strickland was elected as Bishop of the Southeastern Synod. In 2020, the Synod developed a strategic plan to strengthen diversity and justice (2021), evangelism (2022), formation (2023), and advocacy (2024).
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Vision 2028:
Revive (2026)

In this second year of Vision 2028, the Synod has offered four "Revival Days" and begun initiatives to enhance youth/young adult engagement and strengthen its prayer network. In January, the Synod hired Dr. Kari Eller as the inaugural director of the Leadership Academy. From January to May, the Leadership Academy was planned, and committees were formed. During the Synod Assembly in May, the Leadership Academy Team officially announced its launch for the Fall 2026 term, with "renewing" (2027) and "reforming" (2028) plans in the years ahead. 
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Vision 2028: Equipping Leaders and Congregations to Thrive in a Changing World

Following his re-election in the summer of 2025, Bishop Strickland "refreshed" the Synod's strategic plan, envisioning with Synod staff how to equip leaders and congregations to thrive in our changing world. “Woven Together...Forward in Faith," the Synod's Vision 2028 aims to [1] love God more deeply and our neighbors more fully, and [2] develop a robust ecosystem of healthy leaders and healthy congregations. Grounded in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," plans were made to revive (2026), renew (2027), and reform (2028) the Synod.