Delegates to the 18th convention of the LCMS Nebraska District elected the Rev. Richard L. Snow to his first term as president. Snow, 54, is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Battle Creek, Neb., and had served three terms as a district vice-president, most recently as first vice-president.
Snow succeeds the Rev. Dr. Russell L. Sommerfeld, who had reached the four-term limit for the office and was ineligible for re-election. Sommerfeld, of Seward, Neb., had been president since 2003.
Also elected at the convention — held June 12-13 in Kearney, Neb., under the theme “In the World, Not of the World” (from John 17:15-18) — were:
- Rev. Scott T. Porath, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Eagle, Neb., first vice-president (from Region B). Porath previously served one term as the district’s third vice-president.
- Rev. Karl P. Ziegler, pastor of First Lutheran Church, Papillon, Neb., second vice-president (Region D), first term.
- Rev. Craig K. Niemeier, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church (Worms), St. Libory, Neb., third vice-president (Region A), first term.
- Rev. David P. Kuhfal, pastor of both Grace Lutheran Church, Neligh, Neb., and Trinity Lutheran Church, Elgin, Neb., fourth vice-president (Region C), first term.
The elected officers will be installed together at a date to be determined.
Delegates adopted, by 98 percent, a resolution to support Operation Barnabas with “time, talents, treasures and prayer.” Operation Barnabas is the Synod’s network of care for military members, families and veterans.
Nebraska District convention delegates also adopted resolutions that ask the LCMS to:
- choose a mission-and-ministry emphasis for the 2016 Synod convention that encourages congregations and members to “engage communities by building relationships through serving the needs of people so the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be shared.”
- revise Synod Bylaw 3.2.4.1 regarding term limits for LCMS officers. The resolution asks that all elected officers in the Synod have term limits of 12 years (four three-year terms), and includes other changes, including eligibility for re-election after a one-year term of not serving. At present there are no term limits for the LCMS president, first vice-president, regional vice-presidents and secretary, according to the bylaw.
Posted June 16, 2015
