Constanze Hagmaier elected bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod

​CHICAGO – The Rev. Constanze Hagmaier, Madison, S.D., was elected June 1 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, held May 31 – June 1 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Hagmaier was elected on the fifth ballot, with 250 votes. The Rev. Bill Tesch, director for evangelical mission and associate to the bishop of the South Dakota Synod, received 247.

The bishop-elect has served as administrative pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison, S.D., since 2009. She was pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Parkston, S.D., from 2004 to 2009 and of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Waubay, S.D. from 2001 to 2004.

The bishop-elect received a Master of Divinity degree from Ruprecht Karl's University in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1999, and she affiliated with Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., after emigrating to the United States in 2000. Luther is one of seven ELCA seminaries.

Hagmaier will be installed Sept. 7 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.

The Rev. David B. Zellmer has served as bishop since 2007 and will retire Aug. 31.

Information about the South Dakota Synod is available at sdsynod.org.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.5 million members in more than 9,100 worshiping communities 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