First vice-president and regional vice-presidents elected and ranked

The Rev. Peter K. Lange receives a round of applause after being elected LCMS first vice-president on July 21 during the 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

By Stacey Egger

TAMPA, Fla. — On Sunday, July 21, delegates of the 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) voted to elect the first vice-president and regional vice-presidents for the upcoming triennium.

Lange elected first vice-president

The Rev. Peter K. Lange of Topeka, Kan., was elected first vice-president.

With 1,016 delegates casting votes, Lange received 518 votes (or 51 percent), on the third ballot. Lange has served as LCMS Kansas District president since 2015.

Also on the ballot were the Rev. Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr., the Rev. Christopher S. Esget, the Rev. Dr. Scott Murray and the Rev. John C. Wille.

Lange will replace the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr., who will retire after serving three terms as first vice-president of the Synod.

The Rev. Benjamin T. Ball speaks for the Committee for Convention Nominations shortly after being elected LCMS sixth vice-president on July 21 in Tampa, Fla. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

Regional vice-presidents

Delegates also elected five ordained ministers as the Synod’s regional vice-presidents on Sunday afternoon.

Central Region: The Rev. Benjamin T. Ball of Worden, Ill., was elected on the second ballot with 587 votes (or 57.9 percent of the vote).

East-Southeast Region: The Rev. Christopher S. Esget of Alexandria, Va., was re-elected on the first ballot with 509 votes (or 50.3 percent). Esget has served as sixth vice-president of the Synod since 2015.

Great Lakes Region: The Rev. Dr. John C. Wohlrabe Jr. of St. Francis, Wis., was re-elected on the second ballot with 534 votes (or 52.7 percent). Wohlrabe previously served two terms as second vice-president of the Synod and one as third vice-president.

Great Plains Region: The Rev. Nabil S. Nour of Sioux Falls, S.D., was re-elected on the second ballot with 600 votes (or 59.2 percent). Nour previously served one term as third vice-president of the Synod and one term as fifth vice-president.

West-Southwest Region: The Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray of Houston was re-elected on the first ballot with 511 votes (or 50.2 percent). Murray previously served one term as second vice-president of the Synod, one term as fourth vice-president and one term as fifth vice-president.

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. John C. Wohlrabe Jr. was elected second vice-president on the third ballot with 537 votes (or 53.9 percent).

• The Rev. Dr. Scott R. Murray was elected third vice-president on the second ballot with 536 votes (or 54.4 percent).

• The Rev. Nabil S. Nour was elected fourth vice-president on the first ballot with 581 votes (or 59.3 percent).

• The Rev. Christopher S. Esget was elected fifth vice-president on the first ballot with 676 votes (or 68.9 percent).

• The Rev. Benjamin T. Ball was named sixth vice-president, having received 305 votes on the final ballot (or 31.1 percent).

As of 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, 1,066 voting delegates were registered and present.
View ballot results
Posted July 21, 2019

The 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 20–25 in Tampa, Fla., at the Tampa Convention Center under the theme “Joy:fully Lutheran.” For more convention news:

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