Title: Jessica Crist Elected Bishop of ELCA Montana Synod ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 5, 2007
Jessica Crist Elected Bishop of ELCA Montana Synod 07-095-FI/SH*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Jessica R. Crist was elected June 2 to a six-year term as bishop of the Montana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She was elected on the third ballot for bishop during the synod assembly June 1-3 in Great Falls, Mont. Crist, 54, is associate to the bishop of the ELCA Montana Synod and director, Northern Rockies Institute of Theology, Great Falls.
On the third ballot, Crist received 252 votes to 48 for the Rev. Douglas R. Vold, St John's Lutheran Church, Helena, Mont., and 29 for the Rev. Loren J. Gustafson, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Helena. Crist led on the second ballot with 217 votes to 40 for Gustafson and 29 for Vold. There were 43 names on the nominating ballot.
Crist will succeed the Rev. Richard R. Omland, who has served the synod as bishop since 2001. Omland, 60, announced previously he would not be available for re-election.
Crist will assume her new role as bishop on Sept. 1. She will be installed as bishop on Sept. 8 at a location in Great Falls.
Born in Harrisburg, Pa., Crist earned a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Yale University, New Haven, Conn., and a master of divinity degree in parish ministry from Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
Ordained in 1979 in the former Lutheran Church in America, Crist was pastor of University Lutheran Church, Cambridge, and First English Evangelical Lutheran Church, Great Falls. She served 1987-1999 as Montana Synod secretary, became director of the Northern Rockies Institute of Theology in 1989, and joined the synod staff in 2002 as associate to the bishop. She was president of the Montana Association of Churches.
Crist and her husband, Turner C. Graybill, are parents of two adult children -- Rhiannon Graybill and Raphael Graybill. Crist is the daughter of Christine Myers Crist, who served 1988- 1990 as executive director of the ELCA Commission for Women.
The ELCA Montana Synod has 49,576 baptized members in 144 congregations, including four congregations in Wyoming. The synod office is in Great Falls. -- -- --
Information about the ELCA Montana Synod is at http://www.montanasynod.org/ on the Web.
*Susan A. Hedahl, assembly coordinator and office manager, ELCA Montana 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