CHICAGO — The Rev. Julie E. Schneider-Thomas, Kent City, Mich., was elected May 20 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, May 18-20 at the Comfort Inn & Suites and Conference Center in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Schneider-Thomas was elected on the fifth ballot, with 166 votes. The Rev. Dana Hendershot, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mount Pleasant, Mich., received 73 votes.
The bishop-elect has served as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Comstock Park, Mich., since 1996. She also has been serving Hope Lutheran Church in Rockford, Mich., since 2016.
Schneider-Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts in religion and philosophy from Adrian College in Adrian, Mich., in 1991, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, in 1995. Trinity is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
She will take office Sept. 1. Installation details are pending.
The Rev. Craig Satterlee has served as bishop since 2013.
Information about the North/West Lower Michigan Synod is available here.
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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
