by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service*
The Rev. Edward R. Benoway was re-elected May 5 to a second
six-year term as bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod
assembly May 3-5 in Orlando. Benoway, 59, was elected 252-250 on
the sixth ballot for bishop over the Rev. Eugene H. Kern, St.
John Lutheran Church, Winter Park, Fla. Kern led on the fifth
ballot with 220 votes to 196 for Benoway, and 94 votes for the Rev.
Johan A.A. Bergh, People of Faith Lutheran Church, Winter Garden,
Fla. There were 57 names on the first or nominating ballot.
Benoway's new term begins July 1.
Born in Zanesville, Ohio, Benoway was first elected bishop of the
synod in 2001. At the time of his election, he was assistant to
the bishop of the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod. He served Lutheran
congregations in Pompano Beach, Fla., Oak Ridge, Tenn., Tampa,
Fla., and Winter Park. Benoway earned a bachelor's degree in
mathematics from Newberry College, Newberry, S.C., and a master's
degree in counseling from the University of South Carolina,
Columbia. He earned a master of divinity degree at Lutheran
Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, and was ordained in
1973. Newberry is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities;
Southern Seminary is one eight ELCA seminaries.
The Florida-Bahamas Synod has 81,421 baptized members in 207
congregations. The synod office is in Tampa.
*Adam J. Bost, communications specialist, ELCA Florida-Bahamas
Synod, provided information for this story.
- - -
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
