CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. H. Gerard Knoche, bishop of the Delaware-
Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA),
announced he will retire Oct. 31, 2009.
Knoche, 66, was elected bishop of the synod in 2000 and re-elected
to serve another six-year term in 2006.
In a July letter to members of the synod, Knoche said his health has
been a concern for the past few years.
"The synod has been very patient and much in prayer during my past
illnesses, for which I am most grateful," Knoche wrote. "But after much
discussion and prayer, I have come to the conclusion that the synod needs
a bishop who does not have to devote so much time to self-care when there
is so much synodical work to be done."
Knoche thanked members of the synod for the "privilege of serving"
as bishop. "God has sustained me in that calling, and for that I give
thanks," he wrote.
"Bishop Knoche has been a clear and strong voice calling the ELCA to
draw upon the depth of our theological foundations while actively
engaging in God's mission. He consistently calls us to faithful
proclamation of God's Word," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding
bishop.
"He courageously challenges us to confront racism and injustice in
church and society. Remaining centered in the means of grace and
ecumenically related are hallmarks of Bishop Knoche's leadership. We
thank God for his servant leadership," Hanson said.
A special synod assembly to elect a new bishop is tentatively
scheduled for January 2010.
Born in Baltimore, Knoche graduated from Harvard College, Cambridge,
Mass.; Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn.; and the Lutheran
Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG), Gettysburg, Pa. LTSG is one
of eight ELCA seminaries.
Ordained in 1967, Knoche served as assistant pastor of Grace
Lutheran Church, Westminster, Md.; associate chaplain for Gettysburg
College, Gettysburg, Pa.; director for Lutheran Campus Ministry at the
University of Wisconsin, Madison; and pastor of New Hope Lutheran Church,
Columbia, Md. Gettysburg College is one of 28 ELCA colleges and
universities.
Knoche is the father of two adult children.
The ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod includes about 88,000 baptized
members in 183 congregations in all of Delaware and most of central
Maryland. The synod office is in Baltimore.
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Information about the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod is at
http://www.demdsynod.org 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
