ELCA News Blog
June 8, 2007
Gerald Mansholt re-elected bishop of ELCA Central States Synod
by Lauren A. Lamb, ELCA News Service*
The Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt was re-elected June 2 to a six-year term as bishop of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly in Overland Park, Kan., May 31- June 3. Mansholt, 58, was elected 272-179 on the fifth ballot for bishop over the Rev. Russell E. Saltzman, Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church, Kansas City, Mo. Mansholt led on the fourth ballot with 250 votes to 181 votes for Saltzman, and 35 for the Rev. Loren D. Mai, Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, Kan. There were 65 names on the first or nominating ballot. Mansholt's new term begins Sept. 1.
Born in Alton, Ill., Mansholt was first elected bishop of the synod in 2001. Mansholt earned a bachelor's degree at Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind., a master of divinity degree from Christ Seminary-Seminex, St. Louis, and a doctorate from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, one of eight ELCA seminaries. He was ordained in 1974. Mansholt served as pastor at Reformation Lutheran Church, Wichita, Kan., from 1995 until he was elected bishop. He was pastor at Lutheran congregations in Florissant, Mo. and Chickasha, Okla.
The Central States Synod has 64,329 members in 201 congregations. The synod office is in Kansas City, Mo.
*Dan Glamann, assistant to the bishop, communication, ELCA Central States Synod, 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