Developing Lay Leadership Is Crucial, Says Canada’s Second Lutheran Woman Bishop
Elaine Sauer Elected Bishop of Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod
WINNIPEG, Canada/GENEVA, 19 May 2006 (LWI) – Canada’s second Lutheran woman bishop, Rev. Elaine Sauer, says the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) needs to continue to develop its lay leadership and strengthen its evangelism work.
“We need a strong program of evangelism where the baptized are encouraged to go and tell the story of God working in their lives and invite the unchurched and marginalized to come to the table with us, to know that they belong here in the kingdom with us,” said Sauer during the run-up to the election for Bishop of the Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario (MNO) Synod on 28 April.
She addressed her speech outlining her vision for the church to the delegates of the 2006 MNO Synod Convention. The convention took place at the Grace Lutheran Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Sauer, 51, currently works in the ELCIC National Office as Assistant to the Bishop for Synodical Relations.
The bishop-elect emphasized the need to “intentionally develop leadership of the laity,” and to seek out leaders to serve in vocations that would help build up the church.
With her election as bishop, Sauer returns to the MNO synod office where she worked as Campus Chaplain and Youth Ministry Facilitator from 1998 to 2003, prior to joining the ELCIC head office.
Drawing upon her own personal experience and the impact of the ELCIC on her during her youth, her acceptance speech included a vision for a church where “an environment of openness is fostered so that our young people can see that the church is relevant in their lives.”
Ordained in 1998, Sauer is the second woman to be elected bishop in the ELCIC. In July 2002, Rev. Cindy Halmarson became the first female bishop in the church after she was elected bishop of the Saskatchewan Synod.
Sauer will be installed on 15 September for an initial term of four years. She will succeed Bishop Richard M. Smith who will be retiring after 12 years of service.
Bishop-elect Elaine Sauer and her husband, Rev. Rick Sauer have three children and one grandchild.
The election of a synod bishop occurs at every second Synod Convention. This year, all five ELCIC synods will hold their biennial conventions and elections for the position of bishop. Led by National Bishop Raymond L. Schultz, the ELCIC has some 182,000 members. The Canadian church joined the LWF in 1986. (412 words)
(ELCIC News)
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