Title: Larson Re-Elected Bishop of ELCA La Crosse Area Synod
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 11, 2002

LARSON RE-ELECTED BISHOP OF ELCA LA CROSSE AREA SYNOD
02-143-FD*/JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. April Ulring Larson was re-elected to a
six-year term as bishop of the La Crosse (Wis.) Area Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), during the synod assembly
June 7-8 at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, one of 28 ELCA colleges and
universities.
     Larson, 52, has served as bishop of the synod since 1992.
     She was re-elected on the third ballot for bishop.  Larson
received 158 votes over the Rev. Gary Daines, Our Savior's Lutheran
Church, Westby, Wis., who received 46 votes.  Larson and Daines were the
only nominees for bishop.  On the third ballot, 66 percent of the votes
cast are needed for election.
     On the first ballot, Larson led with 168 votes to 62 for Daines,
and on the second ballot, she led 163 votes to 60 votes for Daines.  In
both cases, Larson's vote was short of the required 75 percent of the
total votes cast for election on the first and second ballots.
     Larson was born in Decorah.  She attended Luther College and
earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1972 from the University of Iowa,
Iowa City.  She earned a master of divinity degree in 1977 from Wartburg
Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, one of eight ELCA seminaries.
     Before she was first elected bishop, Larson was assistant to the
bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Minnesota Synod, Rochester, Minn., from
1989 to 1992.  She and her husband, the Rev. Judd W. Larson, were co-
pastors of a two-point parish, Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church,
Waterville, Iowa, and Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church, Waukon,
Iowa, from 1984 to 1989.  They served as co-pastors at First Lutheran
Church, Sioux Rapids, Iowa, from 1980 to 1984, and from 1978 to 1980
they were co-pastors at Calvary Lutheran Church and Grant Lutheran
Church, a two-point parish in Crystal Lake, Iowa.
     The Larsons are parents of three grown children.
     The ELCA La Crosse Area Synod has 43,024 members in 81
congregations.  Its offices are in La Crosse.
-- -- --
*Fran Dieter is newsletter editor and supplement editor, The
Lutheran, for the ELCA La Crosse Area Synod.


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