CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Richard R. Omland, 54, was elected May 19 to a six-year term as bishop of the Montana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Omland is director of pastoral care and church relations for St. John's Lutheran Ministries, Inc., Billings, Mont., a social ministry organization of the ELCA.
Omland was elected at the synod assembly at the Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Mont. By action of the assembly, Omland will assume the role of bishop on a date to be determined by him and the synod council's executive committee. He will succeed the Rev. Walter J. Kirkegaard, Great Falls, who has been serving as the synod's interim bishop since March 15. Kirkegaard succeeded the Rev. Mark R. Ramseth, who resigned as bishop to become president of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio. Trinity is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
Omland was elected on the fifth ballot 252-96 over the Rev. Thomas A. Peterman, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Billings. He led on the fourth ballot with 184 votes, over Peterman with 106 votes, and the Rev. Virgil F. Thompson, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Spokane, Wash., who had 63 votes. There were 38 nominees who received votes on the first ballot.
Before he joined St. John's Lutheran Ministries in 1997, Omland served as pastor at American Lutheran Church, Billings; Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Gillette, Wyo.; and Conrad Lutheran Parish, Conrad, Mont.
Omland was a voting member at the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Denver. He has served the Montana Synod as a stewardship volunteer. Omland is a member of the Billings Clergy Association and is active in a number of community service organizations in Billings.
He holds a bachelor's degree in history from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., an ELCA higher education institution. Omland completed seminary in 1973 at Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., and was ordained the same year.
Omland and his wife, Julianne, are the parents of two grown children.
The ELCA Montana Synod has 50,887 members in 148 congregations. Its offices are in Great Falls.
*The Rev. Julie A. Kanarr, Wilsall, Mont., is a member of the Montana Synod Communications Task Force.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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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 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.
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Candice Hill Buchbinder
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