Carlos Peￃﾱa re-elected Highest elected lay official also serves as chair of the Church Council Carlos E. Peña, 56, was elected to a second six-year term as ELCA vice president. As the highest elected lay official, he serves as chair of the Church Council.
He promised to not promote special interests but remain fair and neutral. “The vice president must represent the whole church in its diversity,” he said, adding that he knows what the job entails and runs meetings effectively. “The Church Council will need to work thoughtfully … carefully … in the next steps [after the sexuality decisions]. It’s time to show the world what the ELCA can do.” Peña received 60.8 percent of the votes on the fourth ballot (60 percent required). Of 954 votes, he received 580, followed by Ryan M. Schwarz, a member of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, McLean, Va., with 264. Norma Hirsch, a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa, received 110. |
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