03/19/2013

A Message from the Southern Ohio Synod Council re Bishop Election Process

Greetings in the Name of Our Lord,

In the past several days, you should have received (via regular mail and/or electronically) the letter from Bishop Cal Holloway announcing his retirement from the Office of Bishop.  During the March 9^th meeting, the Southern Ohio Synod Council received, and acknowledged with regret, Bishop Holloway’s letter of retirement.  At that meeting, Synod Council affirmed that its Executive Committee will act as the election process team to prepare for the 2013 Southern Ohio Synod Assembly to elect a new Bishop in June.

The Executive Committee has consulted with the Office of the ELCA Bishop and determined that the election process will be as follows:

• The Bishop will be elected for a six year term by ecclesiastical ballot in accordance with the constitution of the Southern Ohio Synod and all relevant and applicable Synod Assembly resolutions.
• A Consideration for Nomination form accompanies this letter.  You may duplicate this as needed.  Nominations must be returned to the Vice President no later than April 15, 2013.  Regardless of whether a nomination form is returned, any qualified rostered leader may be nominated on the first ballot at the Synod Assembly.
• Those rostered leaders who have been nominated will be sent a biographical form to complete.   These forms must be returned to the Vice President by May 1, 2013 so that the forms may be included in the pre-meeting materials distributed to all voting members of the Synod Assembly. 
• Any biographical forms received after May 1^st will not be included in the pre-assembly material.  Any rostered leader eligible for the Office of Bishop nominated on the first ballot will be given biographical forms to be filled out.  These forms will be distributed between the 1^st and 2^nd ballot.
• As mandated by the amendment adopted at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly, a person nominated for the Office of Bishop will be subject to a background check.

Informational meetings will be held in each conference as listed below.  These meetings will provide the opportunity to meet with Bishop Holloway to facilitate discussion regarding the duties of the office of the Bishop. 

MU  Sunday, April 7, 4:00-5:15 p.m. at Christ the King, St. Clairsville

CO  Monday, April 8, 7:00-8:15 p.m. at North Community, Columbus

SC  Tuesday, April 9, 7:00-8:15 p.m. at St. Peter’s, Lancaster

DA  Wednesday, April 10, 7:00-8:15 p.m. at Zion, Dayton

CI  Thursday, April 11, 7:00-8:15 p.m. at Lord of Life, West Chester (Pending)

NW  Saturday, April 13, 2:00-3:15 p.m. at Abiding Christ, Fairborn

In His Name,

Barbara N. Klatt

Barbara N. Klatt
Vice President
Southern Ohio Synod
Evangelical Church in America

Attachment: Consideration for Nomination Form for Office of Bishop

(You may email the completed nomination form above to Barbara Klatt at ekbk97@sbcglobal.net or send it to the mailing address on the the form.)