CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Martin D. Wells, 56, was re-elected April 23 to a six-year term as bishop of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Wells was re-elected on the second ballot for bishop at the synod assembly in Spokane, Wash.
On the second ballot for bishop, Wells received 209 votes over the Rev. Michael B. Sager, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Spokane, with 75 votes and the Rev. John Nelson, Grace Lutheran Church, Wenatchee, Wash., who received 15 votes. There were three names on the nominating ballot.
Wells was first elected bishop in 1999, succeeding the Rev. Robert M. Keller, who retired as bishop of the synod.
Born in Greeley, Colo., Wells graduated from the University of Denver. He earned a law degree from the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash.
After studying at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., Wells and his wife, the Rev. Susan R. Briehl, were ordained in 1981. The couple served as pastors of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Bellingham, Wash., campus pastors at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, and directors of Holden Village, Lake Chelan, Wash. Briehl is currently a project associate at Valparaiso (Ind.) University.
Wells and Briehl are the parents of two grown daughters.
The ELCA Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod includes 36,775 Lutherans in 108 congregations across Idaho and 20 counties in eastern Washington. The synod office is in Spokane.
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Information about the ELCA Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod is at http://www.ewaidsynod.org/ on the Web.
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
