CHICAGO – The Rev. Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt was elected June 7 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, held June 7-8 at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.
Dillahunt was elected on the first ballot, with 252 votes. A total of 215 votes were needed for election.
Prior to becoming bishop, Dillahunt served as assistant to the synod bishop from 1996 to 2013. She served as co-pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Eaton, Ohio, from 1994 to 1996, as associate pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna, Ohio, from 1990 to 1994, as co-pastor of Faith in Christ Lutheran Church in Springfield, Ohio, from 1988 to 1990, and as pastor of Christ Lutheran in Springfield from 1987 to 1988.
Dillahunt received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981 and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, in 1986. Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Information about the Southern Ohio Synod is available at www.southernohiosynod.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 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 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
