New England District elects Beinke

The Rev. Robert Beinke of Norwalk, Conn., was elected to his first full three-year term as president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod New England District at the district’s 19th convention, held June 9–11 in Springfield, Mass. He was elected on the first ballot.

Beinke previously served as first vice-president of the district and was appointed interim president following the illness of District President Rev. Dr. Timothy Yeadon, who had been in the position since 2012. Yeadon died Jan. 16 at the age of 62, after a long career of service to the church.

Also elected during the convention were:

• Rev. Scott R. Schuett of Lebanon, Conn., as first vice-president;
• Rev. Peter Gregory of Westminster, Mass., as second vice-president; and
• Rev. Joel Kotila of Terryville, Conn., as third vice-president. Kotila had previously been appointed to fill the vacancy created when Vice-President Beinke was appointed president.

The officers were installed during the convention.

Delegates also adopted resolutions to:

• Give thanks and praise to God for the life and ministry of Yeadon, who served St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the community of New Hartford, Conn., for 27 years before being elected district president. During his career, he also helped form future pastors by supervising 15 vicars and serving with humility, kindness and joy in Jesus. Following the vote, delegates rose to sing the Common Doxology.
• Acknowledge that all mankind stands in need of the redemption that comes only through Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:23–25) while abhorring the sin of partiality (James 2:9) and all its manifestations, including that of racism. The resolution encouraged the district’s workers, congregations and schools to reject any doctrine that teaches that one’s race or nationality is inherently superior to another’s, that any individual is guilty of partiality or oppression because of his or her race, and that any nation or group is guilty of partiality based on the race or nationality of its members.

The convention theme was “Now Thank We All Our God,” based on Psalm 105:1–2, chosen for the 50th anniversary of the district’s formation.

Posted June 27, 2022

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