B. Penrose Hoover Elected Bishop of ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. B. Penrose Hoover, Grace Lutheran
Church, Camp Hill, Pa., was elected June 9 to a six-year term as
bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA).  He was elected on the fifth ballot
during the synod assembly June 7-9 in Gettysburg, Pa., by a vote
of 321-276 over the incumbent bishop, the Rev. Carol S. Hendrix.
     Hoover, 60, trailed on the fourth ballot by 24 votes -- 285
for Hendrix and 261 for Hoover.  The Rev. David L. Ritterpusch,
Advent Lutheran Church, York, Pa., was also a candidate on the
fourth ballot.  There were 81 names on the first or nominating
ballot.
     Hoover will assume the role of bishop on Sept. 1.  The date
and location of his installation are yet to be determined.
     "I am truly taken by surprise," Hoover told the assembly
after his election.  "My prayer throughout this process has been
that God's will be done.  My further prayer is that together we
will be able to carry out the Great Commission.  Thank you for
your dedication and your faithfulness," he said.
     Born in Harrisburg, Pa., Hoover received a bachelor of arts
degree in 1968 from Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, and a master
of divinity degree in 1972 from the Lutheran School of Theology
at Chicago (LSTC).  Gettysburg is one of 28 colleges and
universities of the ELCA, and LSTC is one of eight ELCA
seminaries.
     After he was ordained in 1972, Hoover was pastor of Saint
John Center Lutheran Church, East Earl, Pa., Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa., and Salem Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Lebanon, Pa., before he was called in 2002 to Grace
Lutheran Church, Camp Hill.  In material provided to the
assembly, he noted his 35 years of experience in "parish ministry
in rural, downtown, urban and suburban settings."
     Hoover serves on the synod's Committee on Church in Society.
He has served on the policy council of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry
in Pennsylvania and on the synod's committee for world hunger.
     Hoover is a widower.  He and Elisabeth Hoover, who died in
2006, were the parents of four adult children.
     Following his election as bishop, Hoover announced his
engagement to the Rev. Sharon F. Vak, Salem Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Lebanon.
     The ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod has 125,000 baptized
members in 262 congregations.  The synod covers Adams,
Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry
and York counties in Pennsylvania.  The synod office is located
in Harrisburg.
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     Information about the ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod is at
http://www.lss-ELCA.org on the Web.

*Barb Myers, director for communication, ELCA Lower Susquehanna
Synod, provided information for this story.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog