by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service
The Rev. Allan C. Bjornberg, 58, was elected to a third six-year
term as bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its assembly April 28-30 in
Albuquerque, N.M. Bjornberg was elected April 29 on the third
ballot for bishop with 313 votes; at least 303 votes were needed
for election. Runners-up were the Rev. Scott K. Beebe, pastor,
Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Centennial, Colo., with 98
votes, and the Rev. Patricia L. Holman, St. Paul Lutheran Church,
Albuquerque, with 30 votes. There were 52 names on the first or
nominating ballot for bishop.
Bjornberg was born in Omaha, Neb. In 1969 he graduated from the
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. In 1973 Bjornberg earned
a master of divinity degree at Northwestern Lutheran Theological
Seminary (now Luther Seminary), St. Paul, Minn. Ordained in
1973,= he served as pastor of First Lutheran Church, Colorado
Springs, Colo., and Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Albuquerque.
Bjornberg was first elected bishop in 1993 at a special synod
assembly succeeding the Rev. Wayne E. Weissenbuehler, who
resigned as bishop to return to parish ministry. Bjornberg
became bishop in 1994 and was re-elected in 2000. He and his
wife Vianne, a speech-language therapist in private practice,
reside in Westminster, Colo.
The Rocky Mountain Synod includes 83,341 baptized members in 170
congregations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and the El
Paso area of Texas. The synod office is in Denver.
Links
The Rev. Allan C. Bjornberg: http://www.rmsELCA.org/bishopbio.htm
Rocky Mountain Synod: http://www.rmsELCA.org/
St. Paul Lutheran Church: http://www.stpaulabq.org/
University of New Mexico: http://www.unm.edu/
Luther Seminary: http://www.luthersem.edu/
First Lutheran Church: http://www.flccsc.org/
Holy Cross Lutheran Church:
http://holycrosschurch.home.mindspring.com/
the Rev. Wayne E. Weissenbuehler:
http://www.thelutheran.org/about/person_detail.cfm?person_id=91
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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
