Title: Danielson Re-Elected Lutheran Bishop of Western North Dakota
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 10, 2002

DANIELSON RE-ELECTED LUTHERAN BISHOP OF WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
02-140-JZ*/JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Duane C. Danielson was re-elected June
8 as bishop of the Western North Dakota Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the synod's assembly June 7-8
in Dickinson, N.D. Danielson, 56, has been serving as bishop of the
synod since 1996.
     Danielson was re-elected on the fifth ballot for bishop with 193
votes over the Rev. Charles A. Axness, First Lutheran Church, Mandan,
N.D., who received 116 votes. Danielson led on the fourth ballot with
181 votes, Axness received 95 votes and the Rev. Timothy J. Swenson,
Wilmington Lutheran Church, Arnegard, N.D., received 41 votes. There
were 44 nominees on the first ballot.
     Danielson was born in Alexandria, Minn. He earned a bachelor's
degree in 1967 from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D., one of 28 ELCA
colleges and universities. He earned a master of divinity degree in
1971 from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., one of eight ELCA
seminaries.
     He served as pastor of a two-point parish, Trinity Lutheran
Church, Glenburn, N.D., and Trinity Lutheran Church, Lansford, N.D.,
from 1971 to 1978, and was pastor of House of Prayer Lutheran Church,
Bismarck, N.D., from 1978 to 1990. He joined the Western North Dakota
Synod staff as assistant to the bishop in 1990 and served in that role
until he was first elected bishop of the synod.
     Danielson and his wife Jeannie are parents of three grown
children.
     The ELCA Western North Dakota Synod includes 73,047 Lutherans in
207 congregations. The synod office is in Bismarck.
-- -- --
*Jan Zook is assistant to the bishop of the Western North Dakota Synod.


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