Regional vice-presidents elected, ranked

Rev. Nabil Nour, newly-elected LCMS third vice-president, congratulates the Rev. Christopher Esget, LCMS sixth vice-president, following elections at the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran ChurchÐMissouri Synod on Sunday, July 10, 2016, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. LCMS/Michael Schuermann — The Rev. Nabil Nour, right, newly-elected LCMS third vice-president, congratulates the Rev. Christopher Esget, LCMS sixth vice-president, following elections at the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on Sunday, July 10. (LCMS/Michael Schuermann)

By Katie Schuermann

MILWAUKEE (July 10, 2016) — Delegates of the 66th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod re-elected five incumbent ordained ministers to the offices of regional vice-presidents on Sunday afternoon. Once elected, delegates voted to rank them as second through sixth vice-presidents.

Regional vice-presidents

Central Region: The Rev. Dr. Daniel Preus of St. Louis was re-elected on the first ballot with 601 votes (or 57.68 percent of the vote). Preus previously served one term (2013-16) as third vice-president and another (2010-13) as fourth vice-president (2010-13) of the Synod.

East-Southeast Region: The Rev. Christopher S. Esget of Alexandria, Va., was elected on the second ballot with 567 votes (or 53.39 percent). Esget was previously appointed sixth vice-president of the Synod by President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison on Aug. 31, 2015, upon the incumbent Rev. Dr. Robert T Kuhn’s resignation for health reasons.

Great Lakes Region: The Rev. Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr. of St. Francis, Wis., was re-elected on the first ballot with 642 votes (or 61.38 percent). Wohlrabe previously served two terms as second vice-president of the Synod.

Great Plains Region: The Rev. Nabil S. Nour of Sioux Falls, S.D., was re-elected on the first ballot with 627 votes (or 59.83 percent). Nour previously served as fifth vice-president of the Synod.

West-Southwest Region: The Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray was re-elected on the first ballot with 614 votes (or 58.14 percent). Murray previously served as fourth vice-president of the Synod.

Ranking of regional vice-presidents

Once elected, the regional vice-presidents were then ranked by convention delegates through a series of separate ballots. A majority vote is required for rankings two through five, and the remaining candidate is named sixth vice-president.

• The Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray was elected second vice-president on the third ballot with 557 votes (or 52.70 percent).

• The Rev. Nabil S. Nour was elected third vice-president on the third ballot with 563 votes (or 52.81 percent).

• The Rev. Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr. was elected fourth vice-president on the first ballot with 581 votes (or 55.7 percent).

• The Rev. Dr. Daniel Preus was elected fifth vice-president on the first ballot with 570 votes (or 54.49 percent).

• The Rev. Christopher S. Esget was named sixth vice-president having received 476 votes on the final ballot (or 45.51 percent).

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 1,100 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 10, 2016