CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Raynold J. Lingwall, retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and former longtime Iowa Synod president in the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), died Jan. 6 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Funeral services for Lingwall, 93, were Jan. 10 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Des Moines.
Lingwall was born in 1911 in Hordville, Neb. He earned a bachelor's degree in English literature in 1936 from Bethany College, an ELCA higher education institution in Lindsborg, Kansas, and a bachelor of divinity degree in 1940 from Augustana Lutheran Theological Seminary, Rock Island, Ill. In 1962 he received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Augustana Lutheran Theological Seminary.
He was ordained in the former Augustana Lutheran Church in June 1940.
Lingwall served Lutheran congregations in Sherrard, Ill., Swedona, Ill., and Red Oak, Iowa.
While in Red Oak, he was elected president of the Iowa Conference, Augustana Lutheran Church. In 1962 Lingwall was elected president of the LCA Iowa Synod, a position he held until he retired in 1978. Following his retirement, he served as visitation pastor at Grandview Lutheran Church, Des Moines, and was a part-time hospital chaplain at Trinity Center at Luther Park, Des Moines.
Lingwall served on boards of both the Augustana Lutheran Church and the LCA. He was on the board of directors at Grandview College, Des Moines, and was past president of the Scandinavian Association.
The Augustana Lutheran Church was one of four churches that formed the LCA in 1962. The LCA was one of three Lutheran churches that formed the ELCA in 1988.
Lingwall is survived by his children, Keith, Norwalk, Iowa; Karen Williams, Des Moines; Karna Lennes, Marine-on-St. Croix, Minn.; and David, Des Moines; a sister, Leona Marymee, Fremont, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Ena, and seven siblings.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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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
