Katherine A. Finegan elected bishop of ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod

CHICAGO – The Rev. Katherine A. Finegan, Marquette, Mich., was elected May 23 to a six-year term as bishop of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod Assembly May 21-23 at Messiah Lutheran Church and Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

Finegan was elected on the fifth ballot with 164 votes to 84 votes for the Rev. Peter M. Jonas, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Arcadia, Wis.

Finegan has served as assistant to the bishop in the Northern Great Lakes Synod since 2012. She served as pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Republic, Mich., from 2002 to 2012.

The bishop-elect earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind., in 1987. She received her Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in 2002. Luther is one of eight ELCA seminaries.

The Rev. Thomas A. Skrenes, current bishop of the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod, has served as bishop since 1999 and will retire Aug. 31.

Finegan will be installed as bishop on Oct. 21 at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette.

Information about the Northern Great Lakes Synod is available at nglsynod.org.

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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 more than 3.7 million members in more than 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," 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.

For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
 

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