New England Synod New England Synod The New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a jurisdictional synod (similar to a diocese in the Roman Catholic or Episcopal churches), consisting of all of the New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), as well as the Lake Champlain area of eastern New York state. It is one of the 65 synods of the ELCA in North America. The ELCA is divided into larger geographical units, called Regions. The New England Synod sits within Region 7, that of the Northeastern United States. The synod has its
Demographics of New England the age of 15 divorced; Vermont was fifth with 12.6% divorced. Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, on the other hand, have below-average divorce rates. Massachusetts is tied with Georgia with the lowest divorce rate in the U.S., at 2.4%. The most populous cities are as of the 2010 Census (metropolitan areas in parentheses): During the 20th century, urban expansion in regions surrounding New York City has become an important economic influence on neighboring Connecticut, parts of which belong to the New York Metropolitan Area. The U.S. Census Bureau groups Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties in western Connecticut together with