CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Dean Wesley Nelson was elected to a six-year term as bishop of the Southern California (West) Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on June 1. Nelson, 57, was elected at the synod's assembly at Warner Center Marriott Hotel, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Nelson, currently serving as pastor at First Lutheran Church, Torrance, Calif., was elected on the fifth ballot for bishop with 230 votes over the Rev. Dana E. Hanson, First Lutheran Church, Northridge, Calif., with 105 votes, and the Rev. Margaret Schultz- Akerson, Messiah Lutheran Church, Pasadena, Calif., with 80 votes.
Nelson took the lead on the third ballot with 141 votes, over Hanson with 102 votes; Schultz-Akerson, with 51 votes; the Rev. Anthony R. Auer, Hill Avenue Grace Lutheran Church, Pasadena, with 36 votes; and the Rev. David J. Berkedal, Faith Lutheran Church, San Dimas, Calif., with 36 votes. There were 29 names on the first and nominating ballot.
Nelson will take office on August 1. He will succeed the Rev. Paul W. Egertson, who announced his resignation effective July 31 -- just one month short of completing a term as bishop. Egertson resigned following conversations with church leaders after his participation in the April 28 ordination of Anita C. Hill, who is not approved for ordination in the ELCA.
Nelson, who was born in Chicago, earned a bachelor's degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., in 1966. Concordia is one of 28 ELCA higher education institutions. He attended Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass., and earned a master of divinity degree in 1970 from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. Luther is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
After his ordination in 1970, Nelson served as pastor at Faith American Lutheran Church, Enid, Okla.; Park View Lutheran Church, Chicago; Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Milwaukee; and First Lutheran Church, Torrance. He was a voting member at the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Denver.
Nelson and his wife, Marianne, have two adult children.
The ELCA Southern California (West) Synod has 45,955 baptized members, including 160 pastors in 140 congregations across five counties. The synod office is in Glendale, Calif. --- [* Marilyn Fursman is synod supplement editor for The Lutheran and newsletter editor for the ELCA Southern California (West) Synod.]
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.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
