wfn.org | Almquist Re-elected ELCA Bishop of Southeastern Pennsylvania

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

May 8, 2000

ALMQUIST RE-ELECTED ELCA BISHOP OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
00-126-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Roy G. Almquist, 60, was elected to a
second six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its assembly 
May 5-6 at Friends Quaker Meeting House, Philadelphia.
     Almquist received 201 -- or 61.5 percent -- of 327 votes cast on
the fourth ballot May 6.  Sixty percent of the votes were needed for
election.  The Rev. John A. Berntsen, Trinity Lutheran Church, Perkasie,
received 71 votes.  The Rev. Charles R. Leonard, St. Mark Lutheran
Church, Philadelphia, and director of contextual education at the
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, received 55 votes.  There
were 74 names on the first nominating ballot.
     Born in Paterson, N.J., Almquist graduated from Muhlenberg
College, Allentown, Pa., Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia,
and Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.  He was ordained in 1967 and
served as pastor of congregations in New Milford and Saddle River, N.J.,
before moving to West Chester, Pa., in 1984.
     In 1994 Almquist succeeded the Rev. Michael G. Merkel, Bethesda
Lutheran Church, New Haven, Conn., as bishop of the synod.
     Almquist is one of nine advisory bishops to the ELCA Church
Council, and is the ELCA Conference of Bishops' representative to the ELCA
Foundation.  He is a participant in the Leaders' Forum of the
Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia and a member of the board
of trustees of Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa.
     The bishop is married to Shannon Smith Almquist, a teacher at The
Westtown School.  They are the parents of two grown daughters and live
in West Chester, Pa.
     The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod includes 106,645 Lutherans in
179 ELCA congregations in the Philadelphia vicinity.

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