CHICAGO — The Rev. Amy Current, Dubuque, Iowa, was elected Aug. 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.
Current was elected on the fifth ballot, with 178 votes. The Rev. Erika Uthe, assistant to the bishop and director for evangelical mission in the Southeastern Iowa Synod, received 173 votes.
The bishop-elect has served as vice president for admissions and student services at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, since 2011. Wartburg is one of seven ELCA seminaries. Current served as director for financial aid and stewardship formation, director for public communications, and interim director of the Center for Youth Ministries at Wartburg from 2006 to 2010. She also served as pastor of Maple Sheyenne Lutheran Church in Harwood, N.D., from 2003 to 2006, and as pastor of Golden Ridge Lutheran Church, Fargo, N.D., and Congregational Lutheran United Church, Gardner, N.D., from 1997 to 2001.
Current received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., in 1993 and a Master of Divinity degree from Wartburg in 1997. Concordia College is one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities.
Current's installation is scheduled for Oct. 10.
The Rev. Michael L. Burk has served as bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod since 2008 and will retire Oct. 31.
Information about the Southeastern Iowa Synod is available at seiasynod.org/.
- - -
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
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
