FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBIA, SC (July 25, 2020) – Over 500 voting members of the South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are gathering online, July 25, 2020, for their annual Synod Assembly.
This year’s theme, Listen, God is Calling!, is based on Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”
2020 is the Thirty-Third Assembly of the South Carolina Synod and the 195th meeting of the Lutheran Church in South Carolina. The 2020 Assembly will include several items of business for our consideration, including the election of a Bishop using the Ecclesiastical Ballot and the presentation of Nominations for other various offices and committees. We also plan to share together in Worship, Bible Conversations, and a Keynote Presentation.
The Reverend Dr. Herman Yoos, who began his ministry as South Carolina Synod Bishop on August 1, 2008, is retiring. In the ELCA, Bishops serve six-year terms. According to the Synod’s Constitution, the
bishop will be elected by the Synod Assembly by ecclesiastical ballot.
Results of the First Ecclesiastical Ballot, in which each voting member was asked to submit the name of one person who is eligible to serve as synod bishop, are listed below.
Three-fourths of the legal votes cast were necessary for election on the first ballot. This ballot becomes our nominating ballot. A second ballot will be taken at Noon on Saturday, July 25, 2020. As needed, subsequent votes will be taken throughout the weekend assembly until a bishop elect is chosen. The new bishop will assume office on September 1, 2020. Installation of the new bishop will be held on September 19, 2020. Details are still being worked on as the pandemic continues.
2020 Synod Assembly Ecclesiastical Ballot #1 Results
Results of the First Ecclesiastical Ballot, in which each voting member was asked to write in the name of one person who is eligible to serve as synod bishop, are:
| Names of entries on the Ballot | |
| Virginia Aebischer | 94 |
| Ralph Hill | 29 |
| David Coffman | 21 |
| Mary Finklea | 17 |
| Jacqueline Utley | 17 |
| Patti Sue Burton-Pye | 14 |
| Shannon Mullen | 14 |
| Wade Roof | 13 |
| Christine Stoxen | 12 |
| Mary Anderson | 10 |
| Richard Carter | 10 |
| Susan Crowell | 8 |
| Timothy Bupp | 7 |
| Eric Fink | 6 |
| Michael Shackelford | 6 |
| Paul Wollner | 5 |
| Lisa Isenhower | 4 |
| Wayne Kannaday | 4 |
| Gary Loadholt | 4 |
| Tony Metze | 4 |
| Rhodes Woolly | 4 |
| Lane Bembenek | 3 |
| Paul Aebischer | 2 |
| Brad Bellah | 2 |
| Rachel Connelly | 2 |
| Chris Heavner | 2 |
| Jon Heiliger | 2 |
| Robert Miles | 2 |
| Maria Miller | 2 |
| John Trump | 2 |
| Michael Watson | 2 |
| John Wertz | 2 |
| Jason Antley | 1 |
| Thulie Beresford | 1 |
| Ron Brown | 1 |
| Roy Butler | 1 |
| Eric Childers | 1 |
| Gary Christensen | 1 |
| Emily Edenfield | 1 |
| Michele Fischer | 1 |
| Mark Fitzsimmons | 1 |
| Joanna Gragg | 1 |
| James Henricks | 1 |
| Alan Kinsey | 1 |
| Eric Little | 1 |
| David Lose | 1 |
| Ryan Lyles | 1 |
| Gina Metze | 1 |
| Patrick Riddle | 1 |
| Will Rose | 1 |
| Jason Schafer | 1 |
| Jonathan Schnibben | 1 |
| Michael Sherman | 1 |
| John Stirewalt | 1 |
| Matthew Titus | 1 |
| Paul Summer | 1 |
| Herman Yoos | 1 |
| 351 |
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.6 million members in more than 9,200 worshipping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. The ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
About the South Carolina Synod:
The South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has nearly 52,000 members worshipping in 150 congregations across the state of South Carolina. We Lutherans in South Carolina are part of a church that shares a living, daring confidence in God’s grace — and there’s room for all here. We seek to respond to God’s love by loving him and serving the people he has created not only in the state of South Carolina, but in many parts of the globe.
For information contact:
Neal F. Fischer
Director of Communications
803-509-8325 or 607-349-8072
