Title: John Schleicher Elected Bishop of ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 24, 2007
John Schleicher Elected Bishop of ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod 07-090-JB/JB*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. John D. Schleicher, assistant to the bishop of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was elected May 22 to a six-year term as bishop of the synod. Schleicher, 63, was elected on the fifth ballot for bishop, 193-192 over the Rev. Daniel B. Ward, senior pastor, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Schleicher will succeed the Rev. Gary L. Hansen, who previously announced he would not be available for re-election. Hansen, 63, has been serving as bishop of the synod since 1995.
Schleicher led on the fourth ballot with 171 votes. Ward received 146 votes and the Rev. Andreas H. Teich, Messiah Lutheran Church, Bay City, Mich., received 70 votes. There were 58 names on the first or nominating ballot.
Schleicher will assume his new role as bishop on Sept. 1. He will be installed on Aug. 25 at a location to be announced.
Born in Mount Clemens, Mich., Schleicher earned a bachelor's degree in 1965 from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio. In 1969 he earned a master of divinity degree from the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary (now Trinity Lutheran Seminary), Columbus. In 1980 he earned a doctorate in parish ministry from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. Capital University is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities; Trinity Seminary is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
Schleicher served Lutheran congregations in Kilgore, Ohio; Detroit; Imlay City, Mich.; and Farwell, Mich., before he became assistant to the bishop in 1995.
Schleicher and his wife Phylis are parents of three adult children. The Schleichers reside in Lansing, Mich.
The ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod has 52,411 baptized members in 126 congregations. The synod office is in Lansing.
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Information about the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod is at http://www.mittensynod.org on the Web.
Editors: "Phylis" is the correct spelling.
*Jessica Behenna, synod assembly manager for the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod, provided information.
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