ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 5, 2012

Stephen Talmage re-elected bishop of ELCA Grand Canyon Synod
12-35-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Stephen S. Talmage was elected May 30 to second a six-year term as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He was re-elected on the first ballot with 228 of the 261 votes at the synod's assembly May 30-June 1 in Las Vegas.
     Born in Tucson, Ariz., Talmage graduated in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Arizona in Tucson. In 1984 he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Wartburg is one of eight ELCA seminaries. After his ordination in 1985, Talmage was pastor of two ELCA congregations.
     Prior to his first election as bishop in 2006, Talmage served as dean of the Santa Cruz Conference of the Grand Canyon Synod, chair of the synod's committee for stewardship and financial support, dean for the Lutheran "Campfirmation" camping ministry and co-founder of the Lake Pleasant Lutheran Mission Task Force.
     Information about the Grand Canyon Synod is at http://www.gcsynod.org.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

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