Second Ballot for Bishop

The first ballot for bishop was held on Sunday, June 5. Seventy-two rostered ministers of word and sacrament received at least one nominating vote. Nominees were allowed to accept the nomination or withdraw from the second ballot. Those that accepted the nomination were asked to fill out a short biographical form and to authorize a background check. Those nominees are listed below.

The Rev. Stacie Fidlar

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church

Congregation of Membership:

St. John's Lutheran Church, Rock Island, IL Northern Illinois Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

1995-09-16

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

6/95-8/95: Interim Pastor, St. James Lutheran Church - Forreston, IL
9/95-10/99: Pastor, Our Savior's Lutheran Church - Seneca, IL
10/99-present: Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Church - Rock Island, IL

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

Ongoing - continuing education, with focus on leadership, spirituality, foundation management
2002 - Shalem Institute Group Leaders Program
1995 - Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, M. Div.
1991 - Augustana College-Rock Island, B.A. (Religion with Asian Studies concentration)

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

Northern Illinois Synod Council and Committees (Executive, Finance, Outreach, Global Mission)
ELCA Division for Ministry Board
Parish Pastor/West Conference Dean
DIAKONIA teacher
LSSI Board of Directors

Pastor Fidlar has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor of First Lutheran Church, DeKalb, Illinois

Congregation of Membership:

First Lutheran Church, DeKalb, Illinois, Northern Illinois Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

July 17, 1988

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

1988-1992 St Paul Lutheran Church, Dixon, Illinois, Assistant Pastor/ St. Paul Lutheran Church, Nachusa, Illinois, Pastor
1992-1998 Grace Lutheran Church, Wilmington, Illinois, Pastor
1998-2007, Northern Illinois Synod, Assistant to the Bishop
2007-2011, Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, Illinois, Pastor
2011-2012, Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, Lombard, Illinois, Assistant Director
2012-Present, First Lutheran Church, DeKalb, Illinois, Pastor

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

Trained Micah Group Facilitator, Fuller Theological Seminary, 2017
Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Rockford College, 2010
Trained Facilitator, Church Innovations Institute, 2017
Doctor of Ministry, McCormick Theological Seminary, 2008
Master of Divinity, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1988
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Wartburg College, 1983

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

Served as a Synod Staff member with responsibilities in Outreach, Social Ministry and Global Missions and call process and conflict resolution in three conferences.
Served as pastoral mentor to newly ordained pastors within the Northern Illinois Synod.
Served on the Social Justice/Anti-Racism Team: as Synod Staff person 1998-2007 and currently.
Served as a Diakonia Instructor, teaching a variety of classes, most consistently the Old Testament course
Also served as Synod Council Member and on the Executive Committee, Synod Outreach Committee Member, and as voting member to Churchwide Assembly in 1997 and 2011

Pastor Hunt has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Josh Ehrler

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Mt Morris, IL

Congregation of Membership:

Trinity Lutheran Church, Mt Morris, IL, Northern IL Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

July 17, 2005

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

2021-Present; Illinois Firefighters Association; Fire Chaplain
2014-Present; Mt Morris Fire Protection District; Fire Chaplain
2011-2013; Burke Lutheran Church, Madison, WI; Pastor
2005-2011; Pontoppidan & First Lutheran Churches, Lemond & Hope, MN; Pastor

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

2005; Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, M.Div.
1997; Wartburg College, Waverly, IA, B.A. (Biology)

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

2021-Present; Anti-Racism Training Working Group, Racial Justice Subcommittee, Northern IL Synod
2019-Present; Racial Justice Subcommittee, Northern IL Synod
2018-2022; Rostered Ministers Continuing Education Team, Northern IL Synod
2019-2022; Intern Supervisor, Wartburg Theological Seminary
2017-2018; Intern Supervisor, Trinity Lutheran Seminary
2017-2020; Behavioral Interviewer for Mission Re/Developers, Domestic Mission Unit, ELCA

Pastor Ehrler has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Reed Pedersen

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church

Congregation of Membership:

Augustana Lutheran Church, Andover, IL, Northern Illisnois Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

October 29, 2017

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first).:

Masters of Divinity from Wartburg Seminary 2017
Bachelor of Music from Wartburg College 2013

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

Currently Dean of the West Conference and have been since May 2018
2020-2022 Member of Bishop's Advisory Cabinet
2019-2022 Member and Secretary for the Lutheran Chaplaincy Outreach Board
2018 Participated in the Northern Illinois Synod trip to the Arcot Lutheran Church as a synod representative
2017 Particiapted as a member of a Churchwide Thinktank Concerning Baptismal Responsibilities

Pastor Pedersen has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Joanne Adrian

Current Position in which you are serving:

Rostered pastor~~retired

Congregation of Membership:

Zion Rockford Illinois Northern Illinois

Date and Year of Ordination:

June 1988

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

1988 to 1989 Pastor Trinity Pleasent Valley Iowa
1989 1990 Pastor Spiritof Joy Marengo Illinois
Supply preaching without authority to celebrate communion
Realtor ~~ various firms
Interim Pastor Bethlehem DeKalb Illinois
Supply preachi but no authority for communio
Interim Pastor Bethlehem DeKalb Illinois authority to celebrate communion by Bishop
Interim Pastor Immanuel Yorkville Illinois
Interim Pastor St. John Mendota Illinois
2004 2010 Pastor Emmanuel Paines Point Illinois
2010 Retired
Various interim Pastor positions and supply preaching ~ Bethlehem Rockford, St. Paul Kent
Illinois Faith South Beloit Illinois

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

M. Div. LSTC 1987

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

1. Mission Pastor Spirit of Joy Marengo Illinois
2. Variety of Interims
3. Youth and.adult baptisms Its not just for babies !
4. Zion of Rockford membership

Pastor Adrian has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Jacob Gawlik

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor - St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Sterling, IL

Congregation of Membership:

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Sterling, IL, Northern Illinois Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

2013-09-07

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Pastor at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Sterling, IL Northern Illinois Synod August 2017 - Present
Pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church - Coloma, WI East Central Synod of Wisconsin July 2015 - July 2017
Pastor at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church - Suring, WI East Central Synod of Wisconsin Aug 2013 - Jun 2015
Vicar at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Alliance, OH Northeastern Ohio Synod August 2011 - August 2012

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago - M.Div. 2013
Carthage College, Kenosha, WI - BA, Religious Studies 2007
Luther High School North, Chicago, IL - high school diploma 2003
Messiah Lutheran School, Chicago, IL - PreK through 8th grade

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

Member of the Discipline Committee of the Northern Illinois Synod, September 2019 - Present
Member of the Social Ministry Committee of the Northern Illinois Synod, September 2018 - Present
Member of the Racial Justice Subcommittee of the Northern Illinois Synod, September 2018 - Present
Conference Dean of the Oshkosh Area Conference of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, February 2016 - July 2017
Conference Dean of the Shawano Area Conference of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, February 2014 - July 2015

Pastor Gawlik has authorized a background check.

The Rev. Dr. Eric Lemonholm

Current Position in which you are serving:

Pastor

Congregation of Membership:

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Rockford, IL, Northern Illinois Synod

Date and Year of Ordination:

2001-02-11

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

2006-2010: Grace Lutheran Church, Detroit Lakes, MN, pastor
2001-2005: United in Christ Lutheran Church, Eveleth, MN, associate pastor
1999-2000: United in Christ Lutheran Church, Eveleth, MN, intern

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Preaching, Luther Seminary, 2011
Master of Sacred Theology, Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, 2002
Master of Divinity, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1998
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Biblical and Theological Studies, North Park College, 1993

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

Former Chair of the Congregational Life Committee
Current Member of the World Hunger Committee

Pastor Lemonholm has authorized a background check.

Downloads

The Rev. Stacie Fidlar - 52 votes

The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt - 42 votes

The Rev. Josh Ehrler - 4 votes

The Rev. Reed Pedersen - 2 votes

The Rev. Joanne Adrian - 1 vote

The Rev. Jacob Gawlik - 1 vote

The Rev. Dr. Eric Lemonholm - 1 vote

The Rev. Stacie Fidlar - 52 votes

The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt - 42 votes

The Rev. Josh Ehrler - 4 votes

The Rev. Reed Pedersen - 2 votes

The Rev. Joanne Adrian - 1 vote

The Rev. Jacob Gawlik - 1 vote

The Rev. Dr. Eric Lemonholm - 1 vote

The Rev. Stacie Fidlar

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Josh Ehrler

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Reed Pedersen

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first).:

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Joanne Adrian

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Jacob Gawlik

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

The Rev. Dr. Eric Lemonholm

Current Position in which you are serving:

Congregation of Membership:

Date and Year of Ordination:

Previous Positions Held (dates; name of ministry, agency or business; title of position):

Education and Earned Degrees (with institutions and years, most recent first):

List up to five current or past synod or churchwide activities that would inform your service as bishop of this synod:

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