Pedro Suárez reelected bishop of the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod

​CHICAGO — The Rev. Pedro M. Suárez was reelected June 8 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the synod assembly June 8-10 at the Caribe Royale resort in Orlando, Fla.

Suárez was reelected on the first ballot, with 282 votes. A total of 274 votes was needed for election.

Suárez has served as bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod since 2017. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as pastor of St. Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pompano Beach, Fla., from 2015 to 2017; director for evangelical mission in the ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod from 2011 to 2015; and associate pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, Wis., from 2002 to 2011.

Suárez earned the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from the Seminario Evangelico Asociado in Venezuela in 1980 and a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) in 1992. LSTC is one of seven ELCA seminaries.

Information about the Florida-Bahamas Synod is available at Florida-Bahamas Synod.

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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 3 million members in more than 8,700 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.Buchbinder@elca.org