Donna Simon Elected Bishop of the Central States Synod

CHICAGO — The Rev. Donna J. Simon, Kansas City, Mo., was elected June 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 5-7 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Olathe, Kan.

Simon was elected on the fifth ballot, with 151 votes. The Rev. Zachary Sturm, senior pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kan., received 144 votes.

The bishop-elect has served as pastor of St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City since 2000 and as director for evangelical mission with the Central States Synod since 2016.

Simon earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 from San Francisco (Calif.) State University in 1991; a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in 2000; and Doctor of Ministry in congregational mission and leadership from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in 2016. PLTS and Luther are two of seven ELCA seminaries.

She will take office Sept. 1 and will be installed Sept. 28.

The Rev. Susan Candea is retiring after serving as synod bishop since 2019.

Information about the Central States Synod is available on their website.