North Carolina Lutherans Elect Bolick

NORTH CAROLINA LUTHERANS ELECT BOLICK

The Rev. Leonard H. Bolick, 50, was elected Nov. 2 to a six-year
term as bishop of the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.  ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George
Anderson announced the election during an assembly in Winston-
Salem, N.C., called to name a synod bishop to succeed Mark
Menees, who resigned in May.  There were 90 names on the
nominating ballot.  Bolick received 442 votes on the fifth and
final ballot; the Rev. Steven P. Gerhard, Holy Trinity Lutheran
Church, Raleigh, N.C., received 275.  The Rev. John F. Merck,
Faith Lutheran Church, Faith, N.C., was also in consideration on
the fourth ballot.  Bolick is a native of Lenoir, N.C., and
earned degrees at Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C.;
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.; and
McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago.  He was ordained in 1972
by the former Lutheran Church in America and served as pastor of
Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, N.C., and St. James Lutheran
Church, Fayetteville, N.C.  Bolick has been an assistant to the
bishop in the North Carolina Synod since 1986 and will become
bishop Feb. 1, 1997, with his installation on Feb. 16.  The Rev.
Norman D. Eitrheim, former bishop of the South Dakota Synod,
serves as interim bishop.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958 or AHAFFTEN@ELCA.ORG; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir.,
(312) 380-2955 or FRANKI@ELCA.ORG; Melissa Ramirez, Assist. Dir.,
(312) 380-2956 or MRAMIREZ@ELCA.ORG