Ordained, commissioned ministers and lay nominees elected to boards, CTCR

Bill Carney, voting delegate from the California—Nevada—Hawaii District, warms up with a blanket during elections at the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on Tuesday, July 12, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford) — Bill Carney, voting delegate from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District, warms up with a blanket during elections at the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on Tuesday, July 12, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

By Katie Schuermann

MILWAUKEE (July 12, 2016) — Delegates of the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on Tuesday elected the following 34 ordained, commissioned and lay persons to Synod boards and the Commission on Theology and Church Relations:

LCMS Board of Directors (at-large)

Ordained — Rev. Dr. Michael L. Kumm, Dakota Dunes, S.D.; Rev. Eric Ini-Obong Ekong, Jackson, Mich.

Layperson — Ed Everts, Daytona Beach Shores, Fla.

LCMS Board of Directors (regional)

• East-Southeast Region: Keith Frndak, Cabot, Pa.

• Great Lakes Region: James W. Carter Jr., Arlington Heights, Ill.

• Great Plains Region: Larry Harrington, Casper, Wyo.

Board for National Mission

• Central Region: Ordained/Commissioned — Martha J. Milas, Champaign, Ill. Layperson — Ernest E. Garbe, Dieterich, Ill.

• East-Southeast Region: Ordained/Commissioned — Rev. Timothy J. Droegemueller, Cumming, Ga. Layperson — Julia Habrecht, Alexandria, Va.

• Great Lakes Region: Ordained/Commissioned — Rev. Peter C. Bender, Colgate, Wis. Layperson — Crysten Sanchez, Solon, Iowa.

• Great Plains Region: Ordained/Commissioned — Rev. Steven C. Briel, Maple Grove, Minn. Layperson — Carla M. Claussen, New Brighton, Minn.

• West-Southwest Region: Ordained/Commissioned — Rev. Alfonso O. Espinosa, Lake Forest, Calif. Layperson — Carol A. Hack Broome, Santa Clara, Calif.

Commission on Theology and Church Relations

Ordained — Rev. Arlo W. Pullmann, Laurel, Mont. Commissioned — Timothy D. Hardy, Mount Clemens, Mich. Layperson — Jack D. Kilcrease III, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Concordia Publishing House Board of Directors

Ordained — Rev. Dr. Alvin J. Schmidt, St. Louis, Mo. Commissioned — Mark L. Bender, St. Louis, Mo. Laypersons — Elaine Graff, Albuquerque, N.M.; Gretchen A. Roberts, Maryville, Tenn.; Natalie L. Oleshchuk, St. Louis, Mo.

Concordia University System Board of Directors

Ordained — Rev. Byron Northwick, St. Ansgar, Iowa. Commissioned — Jonathan Giordano, Glen Carbon, Ill. Laypersons — Ellen R. Lange, Anaheim, Calif. ; Gerhard H. Mundinger Jr., Michigan City, Ind.

Lutheran Church Extension Fund Board of Directors

Ordained — Rev. Benjamin D. Haupt, St. Louis, Mo. Laypersons — Susan J. Elsholz, Birmingham, Mich.; Chris A. Anderson, Wichita, Kan.

Board of Regents — Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Ordained — Rev. Dr. Harold L. Senkbeil, Buckeye, Ariz. Laypersons — Dr. Paul P. Edmon, Medford, Mass.; Paul R. Hegland, Kenosha, Wis.

Chaplain Rev. William Weedon led the convention in prayer before the elections.

Earlier this week, the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr. was re-elected as first vice-president of the Synod, and the Rev. Dr. John Wollenburg Sias was elected as secretary. Regional vice-presidents were also elected and ranked by convention vote.

The 66th Regular Convention of the LCMS is meeting July 9-14 at the Wisconsin Center convention complex under the theme “Upon This Rock.” Among 1,500 convention participants are some 1,125 clergy and lay voting delegates.

Katie Schuermann is a freelance writer, author, musician and a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sherman, Ill.

Posted July 12, 2016