ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 7, 2007
ELCA Assembly Re-Elects Mark Hanson Presiding Bishop 07-CWA-007-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, 60, was re- elected to serve another six-year term as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly here. Hanson was re-elected Aug. 7 on the second ballot with 888 votes of the 1,029 cast.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
Hanson begins his second term Nov. 1. He is the third presiding bishop of the ELCA and the second to be re-elected.
"Six years ago I said that I do not view this as an election won but a call received. I view what you have done today (as) the affirming of that call to which I continue to hold with great humility and deep gratitude," Hanson told the assembly.
Hanson thanked the assembly and said he shares the call with his family, staff of the ELCA churchwide organization, church officers, members of the Church Council and Conference of Bishops, and other elected leaders of the church.
"You have given me the privilege to move throughout this church and to come into your midst, into your congregations and synods, colleges and seminaries, outdoor ministries and campus ministry settings, and social ministry organizations. I get to see what the Holy Spirit is stirring in you and through your ministries and lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Then I get to move on and tell that story other places and believe me, when I transmit the story of what God is doing in your life, in your context for ministry, it brings great courage and hope to others. I accept this reaffirmation of your call with deep gratitude and truly expected hopefulness for the next six years," he said.
Hanson was first elected presiding bishop at 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Indianapolis. He was elected president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) at the 2003 LWF Assembly in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and will serve in that role until 2010. The LWF is a global communion of Lutheran churches representing 66 million Lutherans.
On the second ballot for presiding bishop the Rev. Karl P. Donfried, professor emeritus of religion and biblical literature, Smith College, Northampton, Mass., received 73 votes. The Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad, associate professor of preaching, Union Theological Seminary, New York, received 18 votes, and the Rev. James A. Nestingen, retired pastor and seminary professor, Dallas, Ore., received 17 votes. The Rev. Michael W. Foss, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, and the Rev. Arnold (Ernie) R. Hinojosa, pastor/developer, Camino Real Christian Fellowship (ELCA), San Antonio, Texas, each received seven votes. The Rev. Lawrence J. Clark, executive director, Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta, received four votes. - - -
Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the Web.
Biographical information about the Rev. Mark S. Hanson is available at http://www.ELCA.org/bishop on the Web.
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