A synod is an official meeting of church leaders and members, held to decide questions of belief, rules and practice for the church. It is not a Sunday service and not a casual gathering; it is closer to a parliament — people are sent to it, matters are debated, votes are taken, and what it decides is binding on the church.

A synod is an official meeting of church leaders and membersSynod是教會領袖和成員的正式會議， held to decide questions of belief, rules and practice for the church用來決定教會的信仰、規章和實務上的問題。 It is not a Sunday service and not a casual gathering它不是主日崇拜，也不是隨意的聚會； it is closer to a parliament它比較接近國會—— people are sent to it, matters are debated, votes are taken人們被派來參加，議題會被辯論，會投票表決， and what it decides is binding on the church而它決定的事對教會有約束力。

The word belongs mainly to Christian churches: the Catholic Church holds a Synod of Bishops, the Church of England has its General Synod, and Orthodox churches have a Holy Synod that governs continuously. In some Lutheran churches, 'synod' also names a whole regional body of congregations, not just a meeting — 'the Missouri Synod'.

The word belongs mainly to Christian churches這個字主要屬於基督教會： the Catholic Church holds a Synod of Bishops天主教會有Synod of Bishops（主教會議）， the Church of England has its General Synod英國國教有General Synod（總會議）， and Orthodox churches have a Holy Synod that governs continuously東正教會則有持續運作、負責治理的Holy Synod（聖統會議）。 In some Lutheran churches, 'synod' also names a whole regional body of congregations在一些路德會裡，'synod'也可以指一整個區域性的教會團體， not just a meeting — 'the Missouri Synod'不只是一場會議——例如'the Missouri Synod'（密蘇里總會）。

It is a formal, in-group religious word; outside church news and history you will rarely meet it. The adjective is 'synodal' or 'synodical'.

It is a formal, in-group religious word這是一個正式、圈內人使用的宗教用語； outside church news and history you will rarely meet it在教會新聞和歷史之外，你很少會遇到它。 The adjective is 'synodal' or 'synodical'它的形容詞是'synodal'或'synodical'。