Title: Robert Driesen Elected Bishop of ELCA Upper Susquehanna Synod ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 18, 2007
Robert Driesen Elected Bishop of ELCA Upper Susquehanna Synod 07-107-WS*/LL*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Robert L. Driesen, Messiah Lutheran Church, South Williamsport, Pa., was elected June 16 to a six-year term as bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Driesen was elected on the fifth ballot for bishop, 172-170 over the Rev. Daniel M. May, assistant to the bishop, Upper Susquehanna Synod.
The synod assembly was June 15-16 at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa., one of eight ELCA colleges and universities.
Driesen, 59, will succeed the Rev. A. Donald Main, 64, who previously announced he would not be available for re-election.
Driesen received 119 votes on the fourth ballot for bishop. May led with 128 votes, and the Rev. William S. Henderson, Sharon Lutheran Church, Selinsgrove, received 103 votes. There were 59 names on the first or nominating ballot.
Driesen will assume his new role as bishop on Sept. 1. He will be installed October 21 at a location to be announced.
Born in Baltimore, Driesen received a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Towson State University, Towson, Md., in 1969. In 1979 he received a master of divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. (LTSG). LTSG is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
After he was ordained in 1979, Driesen was pastor at Sidman- Elton Parish, Elton, Pa. Since 1981 Driesen has served as chair of the Bishop's Committee on Ecumenical Relations, Upper Susquehanna Synod, and in the Central Pennsylvania Synod of the former Lutheran Church in America.
Driesen resides in Williamsport, Pa.
The ELCA Upper Susquehanna Synod has 41,772 baptized members in 139 congregations. The synod office is in Lewisburg, Pa.
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Information about the ELCA Upper Susquehanna Synod is at http://www.uss-ELCA.org/ on the Web.
* The Rev. W. Stevens Shipman Jr., United Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lock Haven, Pa., provided information.
* Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog