wfn.org | Tiemann Elected Bishop of ELCA Southwestern Texas Synod

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 23, 2000

TIEMANN ELECTED BISHOP OF ELCA SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS SYNOD
00-140-JD*

     SEGUIN, Texas (ELCA) -- The Rev. Ray Tiemann, 47, was elected May
20 to a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at its assembly here at
Texas Lutheran University.  On the fifth ballot, he received 228 votes
to 205 votes for the Rev. Stanley J. Meyer, Seguin, an assistant to the
synod's bishop.
     The Rev. William W. Bruggeman Jr., Abiding Presence Lutheran
Church, San Antonio, was also considered on the assembly's fourth
ballot.  There were 82 names on the first and nominating ballot.
     Tiemann will succeed the Rev. James E. Bennett, 64, who will
retire Aug. 31.  Bennett was elected to a six-year term in 1994 to
succeed the Rev. Henry Schulte as bishop.
     Born in Brenham, Texas, Tiemann earned a bachelor of arts degree
from Texas Lutheran University in 1975 (then Texas Lutheran College), a
master of divinity degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque,
Iowa, in 1979, and a doctor of ministry degree in preaching from
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1995.
     Ordained in 1979, Tiemann served as pastor of Abiding Savior
Lutheran Church, Cameron, Texas, 1979-1985, and Holy Ghost Lutheran
Church, Fredericksburg, Texas, since 1985.
     He and his wife, Debbie, are parents of two children -- Daniel and
Rebecca.
     The Southwestern Texas Synod, based in San Antonio, includes
72,600 Lutherans in 177 congregations in 67 counties across central and
south Texas.

* John E. Dellis is editor of Vista, the newspaper of the ELCA
Southwestern Texas Synod.

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