ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 24, 2007
John Schleicher Elected Bishop of ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod
07-090-JB/JB*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. John D. Schleicher, assistant to
the bishop of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was elected May 22
to a six-year term as bishop of the synod. Schleicher, 63, was
elected on the fifth ballot for bishop, 193-192 over the Rev.
Daniel B. Ward, senior pastor, St. John Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Schleicher will succeed the Rev. Gary L. Hansen, who
previously announced he would not be available for re-election.
Hansen, 63, has been serving as bishop of the synod since 1995.
Schleicher led on the fourth ballot with 171 votes. Ward
received 146 votes and the Rev. Andreas H. Teich, Messiah
Lutheran Church, Bay City, Mich., received 70 votes. There were
58 names on the first or nominating ballot.
Schleicher will assume his new role as bishop on Sept. 1.
He will be installed on Aug. 25 at a location to be announced.
Born in Mount Clemens, Mich., Schleicher earned a bachelor's
degree in 1965 from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio. In 1969
he earned a master of divinity degree from the Evangelical
Lutheran Seminary (now Trinity Lutheran Seminary), Columbus. In
1980 he earned a doctorate in parish ministry from United
Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. Capital University is one of
28 ELCA colleges and universities; Trinity Seminary is one of
eight ELCA seminaries.
Schleicher served Lutheran congregations in Kilgore, Ohio;
Detroit; Imlay City, Mich.; and Farwell, Mich., before he became
assistant to the bishop in 1995.
Schleicher and his wife Phylis are parents of three adult
children. The Schleichers reside in Lansing, Mich.
The ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod has 52,411 baptized
members in 126 congregations. The synod office is in Lansing.
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Information about the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod
is at http://www.mittensynod.org on the Web.
Editors: "Phylis" is the correct spelling.
*Jessica Behenna, synod assembly manager for the ELCA
North/West Lower Michigan Synod, provided information.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
