Richard Hoyme elected bishop of ELCA Northwest Synod of Wisconsin

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Richard N. Hoyme, Chippewa Falls, Wis.,
was elected June 2 to a six-year term as bishop of the Northwest Synod of
Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Hoyme was
elected on the fifth ballot during the synod assembly June 1-2 in Eau
Claire, Wis.
“Jesus tells us we are created to love God and love people. I am
praying that as the bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, I can
truly live those words, and through God's grace, help the people I serve
do it as well,” said Hoyme, who serves as pastor of Central Lutheran in
Chippewa Falls.
Hoyme was elected on the fifth ballot with 239 votes to 189 votes
for the Rev. Amy Odgren, assistant to the bishop of the ELCA Northwest
Synod of Wisconsin. The Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe, associate to the bishop
of the ELCA East-Central Synod of Wisconsin, was also a nominee on the
fourth ballot with 96 votes to 144 for Odgren and 194 for Hoyme.
Hoyme served as senior pastor at Paynesville Lutheran in
Paynesville, Minn., from 1986 to 2000. He was associate pastor of youth
and education at House of Hope Lutheran in New Hope, Minn., from 1982 to
1986, and pastor of American Lutheran Parish in Harlem, Hogeland and
Turner, Mont., from 1979 to 1982.
The bishop-elect earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and
psychology from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., in 1975 and a
Master of Divinity degree from Luther Northwestern Seminary (now Luther
Seminary) in 1979. Luther Seminary is one of eight ELCA seminaries, and
St. Olaf is one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities.
Hoyme will be installed Sept. 8 at Trinity Lutheran in Eau Claire.
He is married to Diane Hoyme and together they have two adult daughters
and one granddaughter.
Information about the ELCA Northwest Synod of Wisconsin is available
at http://www.nwswi.org/.