ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 10, 2007  

Donald McCoid to Head ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations
07-164-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), announced
Oct. 6 that the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, former bishop of the ELCA
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Pittsburgh, will lead the
church's Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations section for
four years, effective Nov. 1.
     McCoid, 63, completed his service Aug. 31 as a synod bishop,
a role in which he served since 1988.  He had previously
announced he would not be available for re-election as bishop.
     McCoid will succeed the Rev. Randall R. Lee, who will
conclude his service as section executive on Oct. 31.  Lee, 51,
has led ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations since 2002.
     "I am delighted that Pastor Donald McCoid has accepted the
call to serve as executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious
Relations in the ELCA," Hanson said. "In his 20 years as bishop
of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Don exemplified
leadership that was grounded in Lutheran confessional theology
and consistently ecumenically minded."
     "He is currently co-chair of the International Lutheran-
Orthodox Dialogue. Pastor McCoid will enable the ELCA to build
upon a strong foundation of ecumenical commitment and
relationships. As the ecumenical landscape changes, the ELCA will
be well served by the depth of Don's theological wisdom and the
breadth of his ecumenical vision," Hanson said.
     The presiding bishop said he was grateful for Lee's service
during the past six years.
"He is highly regarded throughout this church and amongst our
global and ecumenical partners," he said. "With clarity, Randy
has interpreted often complex ecumenical agreements. With
consistency he has articulated the ELCA committed to ecumenism.
We pray God's blessings as he discerns ways to continue to serve
this church."
     "I am really looking forward to this appointment," McCoid
said in an interview with the ELCA News Service.  "The ELCA has
had a noble tradition in ecumenism, bilateral dialogues and full
communion agreements.  Those that have served in this role have
lifted up the ELCA through our commitments and our statement on
ecumenism."
     The 1991 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted "A Declaration of
Ecumenical Commitment: A Policy Statement of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America."  The ELCA has full communion
agreements with the Episcopal Church, Moravian Church in America,
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and the
United Church of Christ.
     In his new role, McCoid said the ELCA must be attentive to
how its ecumenical agreements are being lived out, and he said
the church must have discussions about how it will approach
ecumenism in the future.
     McCoid, who was born in Wheeling, W.Va., earned a bachelor's
degree from West Liberty State College, West Liberty, W.Va., and
a master of divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological
Seminary at Philadelphia, one of eight ELCA seminaries.  In 1983
he was presented an honorary doctorate by Thiel College,
Greenville, Pa., one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities.
     Before he was bishop, McCoid served 10 years as senior
pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Latrobe, Pa.  He was area
coordinator for Lutheran congregations in West Virginia and
western Maryland in the former Lutheran Church in
America.  McCoid also served as pastor at Lutheran congregations
in Pittsburgh and Monessen, Pa.  He was ordained in 1968.
     McCoid has worked in ecumenical circles for many years.  He
has served as co-chair of the Lutheran-Orthodox bilateral
dialogue in the United States and is co-president of the
international Lutheran-Orthodox dialogue, facilitated by the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF).  He also served on the Faith and
Order Conference board and was a member of the North American
Committee of the LWF.
     McCoid served on the Religious Leadership Forum, Pittsburgh,
an organization of Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Protestant church
leaders.  He was chair of the Christian Associates of
Southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, and was a board member for
the Christian Leadership Fellowship of Pittsburgh and
Pennsylvania Council of Churches. McCoid served on the board of
Lutheran Services in America and was chair of the board of the
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa), an ELCA
seminary.
     McCoid served as chair of the Theological and Ethical
Concerns Committee of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, and from
1999 to 2003 served as chair of the Conference.  In 2001 he was
the runner-up when Hanson was first elected presiding bishop at
the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Indianapolis.
     McCoid and his wife Saundra are parents of two adult
children.
---
     Information about ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious
Relations is at http://www.ELCA.org/ecumenical/ on the ELCA Web
site.


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