by Lauren A. Lamb,* ELCA News Service
The Rev. E. Roy Riley Jr. was re-elected to a six-year term as
bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly May 31-June 2 in
Brunswick, N.J. Riley, 59, was elected on the first ballot for
bishop with 322 votes. There were 38 candidates on the first or
nominating ballot. Riley's new term begins Sept. 1.
Riley was born in Columbia, S.C., was assistant to the bishop of
the ELCA New Jersey Synod before he was first elected bishop in
1991. He earned a bachelor's degree in English from Lenoir-Rhyne
College, Hickory, N.C. Lenoir-Rhyne is one of 28 ELCA colleges
and universities. Riley earned a master of divinity degree at
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C., one of
eight ELCA seminaries. He was pastor at Augsburg Lutheran
Church, Winston-Salem, N.C. before he began his service to the
New Jersey Synod.
The ELCA New Jersey Synod has 74,300 members in 186
congregations. The synod office is in Hamilton Square.
* Information was provided by the Rev. Charles Austin, ELCA New
Jersey Synod.
* Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech
communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
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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
