by Frank Imhoff,* ELCA News Service
The Rev. Dean W. Nelson, 63, was elected June 1 to a second six-
year term as bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the synod
assembly at California Lutheran University (CLU), Thousand Oaks,
Calif. Nelson was re-elected on the second ballot for bishop
with 231 votes; the Rev. David Berkedal, Faith Lutheran Church,
San Dimas, Calif., received 72 votes. There were 16 names on the
nominating ballot. Nelson was installed on June 2 at the
assembly's closing worship.
Nelson was born in Chicago. He earned a bachelor's degree from
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., attended Harvard Divinity
School, Cambridge, Mass., and earned a master of divinity degree
from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. After his ordination in
1970, Nelson served as pastor at Faith American Lutheran Church,
Enid, Okla.; Park View Lutheran Church, Chicago; Our Savior's
Lutheran Church, Milwaukee; and First Lutheran Church, Torrance,
Calif. Nelson and his wife Marianne are parents of two adult
children.
The ELCA Southwest California Synod has 41,080 baptized members
in 136 congregations across five California counties. The synod
office is in Glendale, Calif. CLU and Concordia are two of 28
colleges and universities of the ELCA. Luther is one of eight
ELCA seminaries.
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*Marilyn Fursman, Southwest California Synod communication
team, provided information.
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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
