MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Voting members at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly began the process of electing a vice-president today. On the nominating ballot, potentially the first of five, voters failed to give any candidate the required 75 percent needed. With 899 legal ballots cast, incumbent Carlos Peña led the field with 607. He fell short of election by 79 votes.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,045 ELCA votingmembers. The theme for the biennial assembly is “God’s work. Our hands.”
On the first ballot for vice president, voting members nominated 97 separate candidates. In second place was Norma J. Hirsch, Des Moines, Iowa, with 82 votes. Nanette C. Dahlke, Libertyville, Ill., received 28 votes. The vast majority of nominees received five votes or fewer.
A second ballot is scheduled for Aug. 20.
The office of vice-president may only be held by a non-ordained lay member of the denomination.
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Information about the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at 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
