wfn.org | Olson Re-Elected Lutheran Bishop of Southwestern Minnesota

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 12, 2000

OLSON RE-ELECTED LUTHERAN BISHOP OF SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA
00-160-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Stanley N. Olson was elected June 10 to
a second six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the synod's
assembly at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn.
     On the assembly's third ballot Olson received 410 votes to 202 for
the Rev. Randy S. Chrissis, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Hutchinson,
Minn., and 71 votes for the Rev. Harvey L. Nelson, Zion Lutheran Church,
Litchfield, Minn.  A two-thirds majority was required for election on
the second ballot and a simple majority on subsequent ballots.
     On March 5, conference assemblies nominated a slate of six
candidates for bishop.  The Rev. Lee R. Harder, Our Savior's Lutheran
Church, Lamberton, Minn., and the Rev. Allan E. Johnson, Augustana
Lutheran Church, Gibbon, Minn., were also nominated.  The Rev. Ron J.
Freimark, Trinity Lutheran Church, Sleepy Eye, Minn., withdrew from the
election before the first ballot.
     The synod assembly designated the Rev. Darold H. Beekmann as
"bishop emeritus."  Beekmann served as the synod's first bishop until he
became president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
He is retiring this year from that position.
     The ELCA was formed in 1988 from three Lutheran church bodies.
The Rev. Charles D. Anderson succeeded Beekmann in 1990 and retired in
1994, when Olson was elected bishop.
     Born in Eagle Grove, Iowa, Olson, 54, is a graduate of Waldorf
College, Forest City, Iowa; St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.; Luther
Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.; and Yale University, where he earned a Ph.D.
in New Testament.
     Olson served as pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, New Ulm,
Minn., First Lutheran Church, Duluth, Minn., and Bethesda Lutheran
Church, New Haven, Conn.  He taught New Testament for four years at
Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
     Olson and his wife Nancy are the parents of two daughters -- Maren
and Christa.
     The Southwestern Minnesota Synod includes more than 138,000
Lutherans in 280 congregations across 29 Minnesota counties.  Synod
offices are in Redwood Falls.

EDITORS: The name "Darold H. Beekmann" is spelled correctly.

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