CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), led the
first ballot for presiding bishop of the ELCA with 765 out of
1,022 votes cast here at the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Hanson fell two votes short of being re-elected on the first or
nominating ballot.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall.
About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's
Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
The presiding bishop is elected by ecclesiastical ballot.
The election could require as many as five ballots, the maximum
prescribed by the ELCA Constitution. Nominations are made on the
first ballot; each ballot requires a nominee to receive a certain
percentage of all ballots cast to be elected. A specified number
of candidates receiving the most votes on a ballot have their
names placed on the next ballot. The fifth ballot, which matches
the two nominees with the most votes, plus ties, is decided by
majority vote.
Following Hanson was the Rev. Karl P. Donfried, professor
emeritus of religion and biblical literature, Smith College,
Northampton, Mass., who received 42 votes. The Rev. Donald J.
McCoid, bishop, ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Pittsburgh,
received 17 votes, and the Rev. April C. Ulring Larson, bishop,
ELCA La Crosse Area Synod, La Crosse, Wis., received 12 votes.
The Rev. Richard J. Foss, bishop, ELCA Eastern North Dakota
Synod, Fargo, received 10 votes, and the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman,
bishop, ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, received 9 votes.
On the first ballot, 75 percent of the votes cast were
necessary for election. There were 101 clergy receiving votes.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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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
