News Synod assemblies
Topics range from malaria to refugees M
ission and justice issues took center stage at synod assem- blies this spring and sum-
mer. Of the synods reporting in by presstime, discussions focused on the ELCA Malaria Campaign, peace in the Middle East, immigration reform, refugees and more.
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast, May 11-12, Houston • Resolved to publicly denounce the violence of human trafficking and endorsed the reautho- rization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
Grand Canyon, May 30-June 1, Las Vegas • Affirmed the process of exploring a merger between Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., and California Lutheran Uni- versity, Thousand Oaks. • Endorsed the ELCA Malaria Campaign, chal- lenging its members to support the effort. • Concluded that the Arizona SB 1070 Immigration Law is incon- sistent with collective Christian beliefs and is harmful to the needs of Arizona, exhorting members to advocate for immigration reform that is “comprehensive, fair, humane, compassionate, and which safe- guards the unity of families.”
Greater Milwaukee, May 31-June 2, Waukesha, Wis. • Endorsed the 11X15
Assembly reports submitted by Celie Addy, Tracy Apps, Elizabeth Bartsch, Janelle Bidne, Danielle Burrus, Harry J. Deitz, Jeff Drake, Pam Drenner, Neal Fischer, Karin Graddy, Marcia Hahn, Paul F. Heykes, George Kegley, Cindy Koonce, Linda M. Pedersen, Donna Prunkel, Kim Rapczak, Elaine Schwartz, Kevin Stillson, Sister Virginia Strahan, Robert E. Thomas, Catherine Ziel, Jan Zook, the ELCA Office of the Secretary, and gathered from synod websites. Reports compiled by Jeremy Ott, The Lutheran’s summer intern.
Campaign for Safer and Healthier Communities, urging congregational members to participate in the effort’s opportunities. Wisdom, a network of congregation-based justice orga- nizations in Wisconsin, initiated the campaign to reduce the state’s prison population by 11,000 by 2015.
Lower Susquehanna, May 31-June 2, Grantham, Pa. • Gave its support to developing new Latino ministry part- nerships in the synod through prayer, advocacy and earmarking 40 percent of the grants from the congregational mission fund to such initiatives. • Commended the Peace Not Walls Campaign, an ELCA churchwide
Elections
Elected: Brian D. Maas, 48, as bishop of the Nebraska Synod for a six-year term, effective Sept 1. When: June 2 on the fourth ballot with 432 votes. Kathy Gerking, interim pastor of Bethesda Lutheran Church, Ames, Iowa, received 189 votes. Bio: Pastor of First Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Neb. Previously served congregations in Tekamah, Neb., and Kansas City, Mo. Replaces: David L. deFreese, who served as bishop for two terms.
Elected: James E. Hazelwood, 53, as bishop of the New England Synod for a six-year term, effective Sept. 1. When: June 9 on the fifth ballot with 325 votes. Timothy R. Oslov- ich, pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church, Vernon, Conn., received 235 votes. Bio: Pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Charlestown, R.I. Previously served Bethany Lutheran Church in Brook- lyn, N.Y. Replaces: Margaret G. Payne, who is retiring after serving two terms as bishop.
Re-elected James A. Justman, 55, to a third six- year term as bishop of the East Cen- tral Synod of Wisconsin, on the first ballot with 256 votes. Steven Gjerde, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Wausau, Wis., received 37 votes.
Stephen S. Talmage, 53, to a second six-year term as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod, on the first ballot. Talmage received 228 of 261 votes.
August 2012 35
strategy focused on contributing to peace with justice in the Middle East. Suggested that congregations study the issues in the Middle East; pray and reach out to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; and, if pilgrimages are being arranged, to visit biblical sites, meet with both Israelis and Palestin- ians, and learn from Lutherans living in that land today.
Delaware-Maryland, May 31-June 1, Ocean City, Md. • Encouraged its congrega- tions to study the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which extends legal protection for civil marriage to all couples in Maryland. Asked the
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