Timothy Graham Elected Bishop of the ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod

​CHICAGO — The Rev. Timothy M. Graham, Fort Wayne, Ind., was elected June 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 7-9 at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Expo Center in Louisville, Ky.

Graham was elected on the fifth ballot, with 206 votes. The Rev. Adrianne M. Meier, senior pastor of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Ind., received 110 votes.

The bishop-elect has served Messiah Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, first as an associate pastor (2010-2015) and then as senior pastor (2015 to present). Previously he was pastor of Light of the Cross Lutheran Worship Center in Fort Wayne (2007-2010).

Graham earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2001 and a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, in 2007. Wartburg is one of seven ELCA seminaries.

He will take office Sept. 1 and be installed Oct. 12 (location to be determined).

The Rev. William O. Gafkjen, who has served as synod bishop since 2010, will be retiring.

Information about the Indiana-Kentucky Synod is available at https://iksynod.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 3 million members in more than 8,600 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