CHICAGO — The Rev. Stephen R. Herr, Gettysburg, Pa., was elected June 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 5-7 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in York, Pa.
Herr was elected on the fifth ballot, with 258 votes. The Rev. Angela Zimmann, vice president for institutional advancement at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., received 206 votes.
The bishop-elect has served as pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Gettysburg since 1999. He previously served as pastor of Hebron Lutheran Church in Blairsville, Pa. (1994-1999).
Herr earned a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg (Pa.) College in 1989 and a Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (now United Lutheran Seminary) in 1994. Gettysburg College is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities, and United is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
He will take office on Sept. 1 and will be installed at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hanover, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The Rev. James S. Dunlop has served as synod bishop since 2013.
Information about the Lower Susquehanna 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
