wfn.org | Stumme-Diers Elected Lutheran Bishop of Greater Milwaukee

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 3, 2002

STUMME-DIERS ELECTED LUTHERAN BISHOP OF GREATER MILWAUKEE
02-124-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Paul W. Stumme-Diers, All Saints
Lutheran Church, Wales, Wis., was elected June 1 to a six-year term as
bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA).  He will succeed the Rev. Peter Rogness, who has
served as the synod's bishop since the ELCA was formed in 1988.
     The synod's assembly, May 30-June 1 at Carthage College, Kenosha,
Wis., elected Stumme-Diers on the fifth ballot for bishop.  He received
252 votes to 209 votes cast for the Rev. Gregory P. Van Dunk, All
People's Gathering Lutheran Church, Milwaukee.  The Rev. Jeffrey S.
Barrow, Holy Communion Lutheran Church, Racine, Wis., was also a
candidate on the fourth ballot.  There were 54 names on the first and
nominating ballot.
     Stumme-Diers will become bishop on Sept. 1.  A ceremony of
installation is planned for Nov. 2 at St. Mary's Lutheran Church,
Kenosha, Wis.
     The synod constitution limits bishops to two six-year terms.
Rogness served 14 years as the synod's bishop, because that limit was
established when the length of a bishop's term was extended from four to
six years.
     The ELCA Saint Paul (Minn.) Area Synod elected Rogness as its
bishop April 21.  He will take office there this summer.  Before the
ELCA was formed, Rogness served two years as bishop of the Southern
Wisconsin District of the former American Lutheran Church.
     Stumme-Diers, 41, was born in Waverly, Iowa.  He graduated from
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash., and Wartburg Theological
Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.  He served as pastor of Resurrection Lutheran
Church, New Berlin, Wis., from his ordination in 1989 until 1998, when
he moved to Wales.
     The bishop-elect is married to the Rev. Laurie K. Stumme-Diers,
Cross Lutheran Church, Ixonia, Wis.  They are the parents of two
children, Maren and Micah.
     The ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod includes 97,803 Lutherans in 141
congregations across seven counties in southeast Wisconsin.  The synod
office is in Milwaukee.
     Carthage College and Pacific Lutheran University are two of the
ELCA's 28 colleges and universities.  Wartburg Theological Seminary is
one of the ELCA's eight seminaries.  The ELCA's 10,816 congregations are
organized into 65 synods.
-- -- --
     The ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod maintains a site at
http://www.milwaukeesynod.org/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html