William Tesch Reelected Bishop of the ELCA Northwestern Minnesota Synod

CHICAGO – The Rev. William “Bill” Tesch was reelected May 31 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, May 31–June 1 at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

Tesch was reelected on the first ballot, with 263 votes, representing the required 75% of the legal ballots cast.

Tesch was elected bishop of the synod in 2019. Previously he had served as director for evangelical mission with the ELCA South Dakota Synod (2009-2019); assistant to the synod bishop (2007-2009); pastor of Messiah New Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, S.D. (1992-2007); and pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Madison, S.D. (1989-1992).

Tesch received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1984 and a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in 1989. Luther is one of seven ELCA seminaries.

Information about the ELCA Northwestern Minnesota Synod is at their website.