2017 Convention Election Results

LCC President Elect Timothy Teuscher (second from right) and Vice President Thomas Kruesel (right) with some of the incoming members of the Board of Directors.

KITCHENER, Ontario – On October 15, Lutheran Church–Canada meeting in convention elected Rev. Thomas Kruesel to serve as LCC’s Vice-President. He joins Rev. Timothy Teuscher, who was elected President on October 14, 2017.

Rev. Kruesel has served as LCC’s Second Vice President since 2011, and served as Third Vice President from 2009-2011. As a result of convention’s decision to adopt Resolution 17.1.01, synod will only have one Vice President going forward. Vice President Kruesel was elected on the third ballot.

The convention also elected officers for LCC’s Board of Directors: Arnold Drung, Cindy Sholdice, Grace Henderson, Cam Pelzer, Kirsten Guggenmos, Deacon Suzanne Eberhard, Rev. Warren Hamp, Rev. Alex Klages, Rev. Kurt Reinhardt.

The results of these and other elections are spelled out in a newly released “Report on Elections” from LCC President Robert Bugbee, presiding officer of the 11^th synodical convention. Download the report here.

Elections at convention were delayed by the need to first complete discussions on restructuring, as many of the changes being contemplated would impact the make-up of members for these groups.

Despite working diligently—and even continuing past the scheduled adjournment time for convention—delegates were unable to complete elections for all positions. Facing that possibility, the convention passed a resolution declaring any unfilled positions by the time convention ended vacant, and directing those entities authorized by LCC’s Handbook to appoint members to fill the vacancies. These agencies are to take into account the convention’s ballot results in making such appointments. (In other words, if a particular candidate had a high vote total and was close to being elected at adjournment, the relevant entities would be encouraged to appoint such a candidate as opposed to one who had received few or no votes.)

The following candidates were all elected by convention, though the results of these votes were not tabulated at the time convention was adjourned. Remaining vacancies are also noted.

Commission on Constitutional Matters and Structure
Gary Gilmour, Mark Hersey, Arlene Kish, Rev. William Ney
(other spaces to be filled by appointment)

Commission on Adjudication
Rev. Dr. Kevin Fast, Rev. Jeremy Richert
(other spaces to be filled by appointment)

Commission for Nominations and Elections
Milton Joneson, Rod Johnson, Sharon Schieman, Rev. Keith Hoveland, Rev. Lorne Reddemann, Rev. Michael Meleg, Rev. Robert Morley, Rev. Paul Williams

Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(no one elected at adjournment; spaces to be filled by appointment)

Because the seminaries of St. Catharines, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta are separately incorporated entities, LCC is not legally able to directly elect directors to their Boards of Regents. Nevertheless, the seminaries have agreed that candidates chosen at the convention should be forwarded as nominees to the seminaries, which will then appoint directors, guided by convention’s ballot lists.

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