First woman bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. (News).

The Saskatchewan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) took a historic step in electing Rev. Cynthia G. Halmarson, as its new bishop. She is the first ELCIC woman to serve in this position. Halmarson 47, assistant to the ELCIC National Bishop since May 1996, will be ordained as bishop on September 22 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Regina, Saskatchewan. She was elected at the synod's July 4-7 convention in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The convention delegates elected Rev. Jerry Borkowsky as synod vice-chairperson.

Bishop Halmarson was ordained in the New England Synod of the then Lutheran Church in America in 1982. From 1982-1994, she served two congregations in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, first as assistant pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church and later as pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church. She was Assistant to the Bishop of the Saskatchewan Synod for two years, and was the Secretary of that synod (a volunteer position) from 1990-1994.

Born and raised in Bristol, Connecticut, Halmarson moved to Canada at the time of her marriage in 1978 and became a Canadian citizen in May 2001. She is married to Rev. James Halmarson and they have two children, Sarah, 18, and Daniel 17.

"I accept God's call through your election to return to Saskatchewan, my Canadian home, and to minister to the pastors, diaconal ministers and congregations of this synod. I ask for your prayers and your participation in our common ministry," the bishop-elect said. The synod has 141 congregations.

The ELCIC is Canada's largest Lutheran church with a membership of 188,654. Its five synods have around 870 pastors including 115 female clergy. The ELCIC vice-president, Susan Johnson, 44, who serves as LWF Council adviser, is Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod. An LWF member church since 1986, the ELCIC will host the LWF Tenth Assembly, 21-31 July 2003 in Winnipeg, Canada.

Welcoming the synod's action, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko, described the bishop-elect as a "very experienced pastor within the ELCIC, who brings with her tested pastoral skills." He said her election "to the position of synodical bishop reflects the spiritual maturity of the ELCIC--the calling into the ministry of oversight, of qualified men and women irrespective of gender."

From WINNIPEG, Canada/GENEVA, 11 July 2002 (LWI/ELCIC News)