ELCA synod council makes decisions on key leadership positions

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The council of the South-Central Synod of
Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met April
16 to make decisions and recommendations, in consultation with ELCA
Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, regarding key synod leadership positions.
In an April 17 letter to members of the synod Eric Peterson, chair
of the synod’s council and synod vice president, first expressed
gratitude “for the tremendous outpouring of prayers” for Maureen
Mengelt’s family, the Rev. Bruce H. Burnside, bishop of the synod, and
his family, synod leadership, pastors, members and congregations.
Mengelt died April 7 when she was struck by Burnside’s vehicle.
Burnside was arrested and charged with “vehicular homicide while
intoxicated.” He was released April 11 on bond and entered an inpatient
treatment facility.
In the letter, Peterson shared the synod council’s decisions and
recommendations based on the synod’s constitution and bylaws. The council:
+ Accepted “the determination of the Executive Committee, which concurred
with Bishop Burnside, that he is unable to fulfill the responsibilities
of the office of bishop for the duration of his term, which concludes
June 30.” Burnside was elected to serve a six-year term in May 2007.
+ Authorized “the Executive Committee, in consultation with the presiding
bishop, to consider pastors for interim bishop, and to bring a
recommendation of a pastor to serve the synod as interim bishop to the
Synod Council as soon as reasonably possible.”
After prayerful deliberation and conversation, Peterson wrote, the
council also recommended postponing the election for synod bishop at the
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin’s Assembly May 4-5 “to a later date in
2013 at a time and location to be determined by the Synod Council.”
The council further recommended that the time instead be used
to “facilitate conversation about what we are experiencing now as a
synod, and about what God is calling this synod to with regard to its
mission and ministry in the future,” wrote Peterson. The recommendation
to postpone the synod bishop election will come before the Synod Assembly
on May 4.
“In the upcoming days, the Synod Council, synod staff, the Synod
Assembly Planning Team and many others will be working diligently to make
preparations for the implementation of these recommendations. More
information about the changes suggested for the May 4-5 Synod Assembly
and about plans for the postponed bishop’s election and process will be
shared in the coming days,” he wrote, adding that members of the synod
remain “patient as many people are working on the multiple facets of
these decisions and recommendations.”
“Your Synod Council is focused on faithfully fulfilling its
responsibility to the mission and ministry of this synod, so that
together we can continue to bear witness to God’s love for the world,”
wrote Peterson.
The text of the letter is available at http://www.scsw-
ELCA.org/PR_4-17-13.aspx.