CHICAGO – The Rev. Robert F Humphrey, Harrisonburg, Va., was elected June 11 to a six-year term as bishop of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod assembly May 9-11 at Roanoke College in Salem, Va.
Humphrey was elected on the fifth ballot with 217 votes to 167 votes for the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, associate pastor of St. Philip Lutheran Church in Roanoke. A total of 193 votes was needed for election.
Humphrey has served as lead pastor of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, Harrisonburg, since 2010.
The bishop-elect earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond (Va.) in 1977. He received his Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C., in 1981. Southern Seminary is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
The Rev. James F. Mauney, who has served as bishop of the Virginia Synod since 1999, will retire Aug. 31.
Humphrey will be installed as bishop on Sept. 9 at First Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro, Va.
Information about the Virginia Synod is available at vasynod.org.
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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
