ELCA Alaska Synod Elects Martinson as Bishop

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Ronald D. Martinson, 64, senior pastor at Central Lutheran Church, Anchorage, Alaska, was elected bishop of the Alaska Synod, one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Martinson was elected Oct. 30 by voting members of the Alaska Synod assembly, which met at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Anchorage. He will assume his new duties Jan. 1.
Martinson was elected on the fifth ballot, 52-49 over the Rev. Obed Nelson, Anchorage. Nelson, director of resource development, Mental Health Services, Providence Alaska Medical Center, is presently serving on loan to the Cook Inlet Tribal Council Inc. as director of Alaska North Addiction Recovery Center. He is also secretary of the Alaska Synod Council, the board of directors for the synod. Nelson led in the voting until the fifth ballot.
The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA, Chicago, presided at the election.
"I am delighted to be elected as the bishop of the Alaska Synod," Martinson said, adding the election was a "humbling" experience. "I look forward to serving the Alaska Synod and the ELCA in this leadership position." "The synod spent over a year in a self-study of its vision and mission," Martinson added. "I look forward to implementing the goals of the synod as we begin a new millennium." Martinson has served as senior pastor at Central Lutheran Church since 1982. He previously served Grace Lutheran Church (now Holy Cross Lutheran Church) in Salem, Ore., First Lutheran Church, Astoria, Ore., and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seattle. In the Alaska Synod, Martinson has served in a number of roles. He was chair of the synod's restructuring committee, chair of its fund raising task force, a member of its long-range study committee and the synod's ministry and ELCA Region 1 candidacy committee. From 1982 to 1988, Martinson was a member of the board of regents for Pacific Lutheran University, one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities. He has been active in a number of community activities, especially longtime work as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Martinson earned a bachelor's degree in 1957 from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, and completed seminary studies at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in 1961. He was ordained at First Lutheran Church, Decorah, in June 1961. Martinson is married. He and his wife Marilyn have four children: Joel, 39, Dallas; Anne, 35, Anchorage; Sara, 33, Kalispell, Mont.; and John, 29, Anchorage. Martinson's installation is scheduled for Jan. 14 at Central Lutheran Church. The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will preside. Martinson will succeed the Rev. Larry J. Jorgenson, who was appointed interim bishop by the synod council and began serving in July 1998. Jorgenson was appointed after the Rev. Donald D. Parsons resigned as bishop to accept a call to a congregation in Beaverton, Ore. When he began serving as interim bishop, the understanding between the synod council and Jorgenson was that he would not be eligible for election. The synod assembly moved to suspend that understanding, but the motion was defeated after a strong statement from Jorgenson indicating his support for the integrity of the interim agreement. Prior to his appointment as interim bishop, Jorgenson was executive director of Lutheran Social Services of Alaska. The assembly also decided to fund the bishop's position full-time, effective Jan. 1. The position is presently a shared responsibility, which includes the part-time duties as bishop of the synod and part-time duties as a mission director for the ELCA Division for Outreach. In addition to the decision to make the bishop's position full-time,=20 the Division for Outreach has agreed to provide funds for a part-time=20 mission director in the Alaska Synod, said the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, executive director.

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