North/West Lower Michigan Synod
God's Work. Our Hands.
Slide
Julie Schneider-Thomas Bishop Installation Photo Gallery

Bishop Julie’s Installation 09/2025

Summer Camp Banner
Around the Mitten
Collage Banner
Palm Sunday Path
previous arrow
next arrow

Who We Are

People focused

We value connection.

Grace filled

We cherish this gift from God in Jesus.

Welcome all

We welcome all people.

Connected across the mitten

From St. Joe to Alpena.

Synod Shoutout

  • How Much Snow?!

    After a week of true Northern Michigan winter, where communities saw several inches of snow accumulation, fierce winds, and drifts reaching multiple feet high, one story coming out of our synod was nothing short of inspiring!

    Read More

View Synod Shoutout archives >

North/West Lower Michigan Synod at a Glance

Tear drop with cross

25,000+

Baptized members

Church building
Person in a pulpit

181

 Rostered leaders

Lower peninsula of Michigan with stars to indicate where the conferences are

Upcoming Events

Wandering and Wondering with Bishop Julie Schneider-Thomas

  • Holy Week

    Holy Week. It is the oldest Christian observance — far older than the celebration of Christ’s birth. The Great Three Days (Triduum) of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter — these are God’s gift to us.

    Read More

  • Worthy of Praise

    The Pigeon on the red rocks is hanging out in the Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs. The black bird sitting on the snow is an Alpine Chough, which I met on the top of Nordkette, a mountain in the Austrian Alps. Honestly, I don’t know that I would have paid much attention to either bird if it weren’t for one of my young parishioners from Hope, Rockford who is passionate about birds. His love and knowledge have inspired me to pay more attention to the feathered friends around me.

    Read More

  • Fast for the Eyes

    This photo was taken at the Cathedral of St. James in Innsbruck, Austria. I was there last year near the end of Lent. Every one of the churches I visited had some piece of temporary artwork hung in front of the reredos (the panel behind the altar). Many also had pieces of purple cloth covering the cross. This is a widespread practice in Roman Catholic churches, and even among a few Lutheran churches. At the very least, this happens on Good Friday in many of our churches. The instruction in the Roman Catholic church is that this begins on the Fifth Sunday of Lent through Good Friday, but I don’t want to get too far into the weeds about the particulars of this practice!

    Read More

View Archives >

News