by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service
The Rev. H. Gerard Knoche, 63, was elected to a second six-year
term as bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly June 1-3
in Gettysburg, Pa. Knoche was re-elected on the second ballot
for bishop with 342 of 456 votes. Runners-up were the Rev.
Michael A. Dubsky, St. Luke Lutheran Church, Baltimore, with 28
votes, and the Rev. Marina C. Flores, Manor Lutheran Parish,
Frederick, Md., with 18 votes. There were 60 nominees on the
first or nominating ballot.
Born in Baltimore, Knoche graduated from Harvard College,
Cambridge, Mass. He earned a bachelor of divinity degree from
Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn., and a master of sacred
theology degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg (LTSG), Gettysburg, Pa. LTSG is one of eight ELCA
seminaries. Ordained in 1967, he served as assistant pastor for
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 the 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA. Knoche was
first elected bishop in 2000, succeeding the Rev. George P. Mocko,
who retired. Knoche is the father of two adult children and resides
in Baltimore.
The Delaware-Maryland Synod includes 91,001 baptized members in
185 congregations in all of Delaware and most of central
Maryland. The synod office is in Baltimore.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service.
Information was provided by Linda Lovell, coordinator for
communication, ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod.
Links
Delaware-Maryland Synod: http://demdsynod.org/
The Rev. H. Gerard Knoche:
http://www.toad.net/~synoddemd/whoweare/bishbio.html
Harvard College: http://www.college.harvard.edu/
Yale Divinity School: http://www.yale.edu/divinity/
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg: http://www.ltsg.edu/
Grace Lutheran Church: http://www.gracelc.org/
Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Wisconsin:
http://www.lccmadison.com/
Gettysburg College: http://www.gettysburg.edu/
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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
