The Rev. Timothy Yeadon, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in New Hartford, Conn., since 1985, is the new president of the LCMS New England District.
Yeadon, who formerly served as first vice-president of the district, was elected on the first ballot during the district’s 16th convention, June 14-16 in Springfield, Mass. The district, based in Springfield, includes congregations in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Yeadon, 52, will be installed into his new position Aug. 19 at his congregation, St. Paul in New Hartford, by LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison.
Yeadon succeeds the Rev. James E. Keurulainen, who retired after serving five terms (since 1997) as president. Keurulainen received the Servant of Christ Award from Concordia College–New York June 15 at the convention.
Presenting the award, Paul Grand Pre, Concordia’s vice-president of Institutional Advancement, described Keurulainen as “an empathetic and humble leader” and “a respected churchman with a pastor’s heart, always cognizant of the well-bein
g of your fellow pastors, a godly man with a common touch. In every situation, you share your faith in Christ Jesus and serve Him with humility and thankfulness.”
Also elected were:
- the Rev. Timothy Knapp, pastor of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Acton, Mass., to his first term as first vice-president.
- the Rev. Scott Scheutt, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lebanon, Conn., to his second term as second vice-president.
- the Rev. Robert Beinke, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church, Norwalk, Conn., to his first term as third vice-president.
The elected vice-presidents were installed during the convention.
Under the convention theme of “Witness, Mercy and Life Together in New England,”
delegates adopted resolutions to:
- commend the Synod’s Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program. Noting that the 2007 LCMS resolution to establish the SMP program described “specific ministries” to include “such categories as church planter, staff pastor and others as needs arise,” the New England convention resolved to ask the Synod’s 2013 convention to keep the current SMP program “open for various types of ministries, including ‘staff pastors.’ ” The resolution also encourages men to consider the SMP program “as an opportunity to serve churches as pastors within the LCMS.”
- “monitor, help and strengthen the physical, spiritual and mental health of the district’s church workers and church-worker marriages and families.” Noting that marriages and families — even those of church workers — face “many challenges and stresses” today, including addictive and destructive behaviors, the district resolved to “provide diverse and extensive resources to especially help strengthen clergy marriages and clergy families.”
- commend the Transforming Churches Network (TCN) and “other revitalization efforts,” encouraging congregations to “consider a consultation and/or coaching” through TCN and encouraging the district president to “suggest additional pastors who can be involved in the TCN Learning Communities in our district.” TCN is an LCMS Recognized Service Organization based in Cordova, Tenn.
- support the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) in the district’s congregations and schools with prayer and financial contributions. LMI is a joint effort of the Synod and Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore — supported by the United Nations Foundation — to heighten awareness of the disease and raise $45 million for the effort to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa by 2015.
Posted June 18, 2012 / Updated July 10, 2012
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