wfn.org | Hougen Re-Elected Bishop of ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 18, 2002

HOUGEN RE-ELECTED BISHOP OF ELCA SOUTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD
02-149-AW*/KG*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Philip L. Hougen was re-elected to a
six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  Hougen was elected at
the synod's assembly June 14-16 at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.
     Hougen, 59, was first elected bishop of the synod in 1996.  He
was re-elected on the first ballot with 346 of 382 votes cast.
Nearest runners-up were the Rev. Myron D. Herzberg, Memorial Lutheran
Church, Nevada, Iowa, with nine votes and the Rev. Virginia Anderson-
Larson, director for spiritual formation and field education,
Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, with three votes.
There were 23 names on the first ballot.
     Before becoming bishop, Hougen served as pastor of Grace
Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa from 1988 to 1996.  He was
previously pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Pekin, Ill., and Faith Lutheran Church,
Glen Ellyn, Ill.
     Hougen was born in Cedar Rapids.  He earned a bachelor of arts
degree in 1965 from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.  He earned a
master of divinity degree in 1969 and a doctor of divinity degree in
1978, both from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC).
Augustana College is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities and
LSTC is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
     Hougen and his wife, Diane, have two grown children.
     The ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod has 94,981 baptized members in
152 congregations.  The synod office is in Iowa City, Iowa.
-- -- --
*Amy Wineinger is a junior at Wartburg College.  This summer she is
an intern with ELCA News and Media Production.

*Kim Groninga is the director of communication for the ELCA
Southeastern Iowa Synod.

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