SEGUIN, Texas (ELCA) -- The Rev. Ray Tiemann, 47, was elected May 20 to a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its assembly here at Texas Lutheran University. On the fifth ballot, he received 228 votes to 205 votes for the Rev. Stanley J. Meyer, Seguin, an assistant to the synod's bishop.
The Rev. William W. Bruggeman Jr., Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, San Antonio, was also considered on the assembly's fourth ballot. There were 82 names on the first and nominating ballot.
Tiemann will succeed the Rev. James E. Bennett, 64, who will retire Aug. 31. Bennett was elected to a six-year term in 1994 to succeed the Rev. Henry Schulte as bishop.
Born in Brenham, Texas, Tiemann earned a bachelor of arts degree from Texas Lutheran University in 1975 (then Texas Lutheran College), a master of divinity degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, in 1979, and a doctor of ministry degree in preaching from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1995.
Ordained in 1979, Tiemann served as pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, Cameron, Texas, 1979-1985, and Holy Ghost Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Texas, since 1985.
He and his wife, Debbie, are parents of two children -- Daniel and Rebecca.
The Southwestern Texas Synod, based in San Antonio, includes 72,600 Lutherans in 177 congregations in 67 counties across central and south Texas.
* John E. Dellis is editor of Vista, the newspaper of the ELCA
Southwestern Texas Synod.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities 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.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
