CHICAGO — The Rev. Nathan D. Pipho, Worcester, Mass., was elected June 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 6-8, at the DCU Center in Worcester.
Pipho was elected on the fifth ballot, with 261 votes. The Rev. Sara J. Anderson, associate to the bishop of the New England Synod, received 164 votes.
The bishop-elect has served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, since 2016. Previously he was pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Quincy, Mass. (2002-2015).
Pipho earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and political science from Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, in 1998; a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) in 2002; and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass., in 2016. Wartburg is one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities; United is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Bishop-elect Pipho begins his term on Aug. 1; he will be installed Sept. 7 at Trinity.
The Rev. James E. Hazelwood is retiring after serving as synod bishop since 2012.
Information about the New England Synod is available at nelutherans.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
