The names of nominees for Synod president and first through fifth vice-presidents who will be on the ballots for election at this summer’s Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod convention have been announced.
Synod Secretary Dr. Raymond Hartwig released the names April 7.
The names on the ballots — five each for president and first vice-president, and 20 for second through fifth vice-presidents — are of those who received the most nominations from LCMS congregations, and who agreed to stand for election.
All must be ordained ministers.
Seventeen men received enough votes to be listed on the ballots for president, first vice-president, or second through fifth vice-presidents, but decided not to let their names stand.
For Synod president, the nominees are, in the order of nominations receiv
- Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, 48, executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, 1,332 nominations.
- Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, 67, incumbent president of the Synod, 755.
- Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., 56, president of the LCMS Southern Illinois District, 503.
- Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II, 54, associate professor at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., 5.
- Dr. Daniel L. Gard, 56, professor at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, 3.
On the ballot for first vice-president are the following, also in the order of nominations received:
- Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., 809.
- Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, 728.
- Dr. William R. Diekelman, 63, incumbent first vice-president of the Synod, 244.
- Dr. Wallace R. Schulz, 65, evangelist with the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, 240.
- Dr. Jeffery Schrank, 47, executive pastor of Christ Church-Lutheran, Phoenix, 112.
Of those receiving the highest number of nominating votes for the offices of
- Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr., 56, current third vice-president of the Synod and pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church, Geneseo, Ill., 800.
- Dr. David L. Adams, 54, associate professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 682.
- Rev. Daniel Preus, 61, director of Luther Academy, St. Louis, 488.
- Dr. Paul L. Maier, 79, current second vice-president of the Synod and professor at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich., 481.
- Dr. Scott R. Murray, 51, senior pastor of Memorial Lutheran Church and
- Dr. Dean Nadasdy, 62, current fourth vice-president of the Synod and senior pastor of Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, Minn., 435.
- Dr. David D. Buegler, 63, current fifth vice-president of the Synod, 353.
- Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., 195.
- Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II, 161.
- Dr. Wallace R. Schulz, 159.
- Dr. Victor J. Belton, 56, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Decatur, Ga., 134.
- Rev. Luther C. Brunette, 55, senior pastor of Carmel Lutheran Church,
- Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, 45.
- Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr., 47, professor and academic dean at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, 44.
- Dr. Dean O. Wenthe, 65, president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, 42.
- Dr. Harold L. Senkbeil, 65, executive director for spiritual care at Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel, Brookfield, Wis., 36.
- Rev. Clint K. Poppe, 51, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Neb., 35.
- Rev. John Pless, 57, assistant professor at Concordia Theological Sem
- Dr. Jacob A.O. Preus III, 57, executive vice-president of Bethesda Lutheran Communities, Watertown, Wis., 32.
- Dr. Daniel L. Gard, 30.
Each Synod congregation could nominate two ordained ministers for president, two for first vice-president, and four for second through fifth vice-presidents.
Nominations were received from 2,041 congregations, or 33.9 percent of the Synod’s 6,021 member congregations.
Nominations closed March 10. The nominating ballots were tallied by the St. Louis office of the accounting firm Brown Smith Wallace LLC.
The Synod’s 64th Regular Convention is set for July 10-17 in Houston. At 
More information on nominees for election at the convention will be available in a biographical supplement to the 2010 Convention Workbook, scheduled for mailing in late April to all ordained and commissioned, rostered church workers; lay delegates and alternates; lay members of boards and commissions; and lay teachers and lay ministers designated by district presidents.
For more information about the upcoming convention, visit the convention Web site at http://www.lcms.org/?13524.
Posted April 8, 2010
