 |
 |
Title: ELCA Seminary President William Lesher to Retire in 1997 ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEFS December 9, 1996 LESHER TO RETIRE IN 1997 The Rev. William E. Lesher plans to retire on June 30, 1997, as president of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a position he has held since 1978. He submitted his resignation to the LSTC board in May to give the board time to conduct a thorough search for his successor. The board unanimously accept Lesher's resignation with "profound gratitude." Dr. Carol Gilbertson, St. Paul, Minn., who chairs the search committee, said she hopes a new president will be in place in July 1997. During his tenure as president Lesher was instrumental in establishing the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS), one of the largest and most effective of the consortia of seminaries in North America; the Chicago Center for Religion and Science; the Chicago Center for Global Ministries in cooperation with Catholic Theological Union and McCormick Theological Seminary; and the "Covenant Cluster" with Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, and Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. This cluster is a major building block in an interdependent network for theological education in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Even after his retirement Lesher plans to continue to pursue interests in global mission and in the project "Common Good" resulting from a study by the Ford Foundation. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service, (312) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955 or [log in to unmask]; Melissa Ramirez, Assist. Dir., (312) 380-2956 or [log in to unmask]