New Bishop for Lutheran Church of Australia

President Semmler (left) congratulates Bishop-elect Henderson

AUSTRALIA – Rev. John Henderson was elected Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) April 22, 2013.

The election was made on the first day of business at the LCA’s National Convention, which also made the decision to change the title of the synodical head from “President” to “Bishop.” The convention was preceded by the General Pastor’s Conference last week, which had endorsed two candidates for the office of president: Rev. Henderson and Rev. David Altus.

“I am deeply appreciative and humbled in relation to the task you have placed in front of me,” Rev. Henderson said. “I hope that in Christ’s name I will be worthy of this task.”

Rev. Henderson has been Principal of Australian Lutheran College, LCA’s post-secondary institute, since 2009. He was ordained in 1982, and served parishes in four LCA districts until 2001. He was Vice President of the Lutheran Church of Australia from 2006 to 2011, and a member of General Church Council from 2003 to 2011.

Bishop-elect Henderson addresses the convention.

He has also been involved in broader ecumenical work, serving as General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia from 2002 to 2008. He was a member of the LCA’s Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations, a representative at the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue, a founding member of the Regional Interfaith Dialogue SA Asia (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Indonesian government), and co-founder of the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews.

Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) President Robert Bugbee was invited to speak at the General Pastor’s Conference, and to bring greetings to the General Convention on behalf of LCC.

“Our Canadian church joins many others in congratulating Bishop-elect Henderson,” said President Bugbee, “and we ask God to give him the wisdom and energy he’ll need to do his work faithfully. We continue to thank God for the close ties between LCC and the LCA, and hope that the Lord will use this new leader to deepen that relationship, which has come to mean so much to us.”

Earlier this year, LCA President Mike Semmler announced he would not be seeking re-election. His retirement will take effect in July, at which point Rev. Henderson will be installed as Bishop.

“It’s a bit of an emotional moment for us to bid farewell to President Semmler,” said President Bugbee. “He has proven himself to be a real friend to the Canadian church. I look forward to honouring him publicly during our convention time here in Adelaide, Australia.”

In addition to the celebration of the outgoing president and incoming bishop, the General Convention has seen the LCA struggle over the issue of the women’s ordination. “The question of ordaining women to the pastoral office continues to be a contentious one for the Lutheran Church of Australia,” President Bugbee reports. “It is clear that the convention is quite divided in the matter. The national pastors’ conference asked for current dialogues to continue, and for other discussions to intensify during the coming three years.”

The Lutheran Church of Australia’s General Convention ends Wednesday, April 24.

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Images courtesy of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

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