Eastern North Dakota Synod

Report for the Eastern North Dakota Synod Assembly

by Julie K. Aageson

Voting members representing the 100,000 plus Lutherans in the Eastern North Dakota Synod have elected a new bishop. The Rev. William (Bill) Rindy was elected on the fourth ballot over another Fargo pastor, the Rev. Jeff Sandgren. Rindy currently serves as executive pastor of First Lutheran Church in Fargo. Sandgren is senior pastor at Olivet Lutheran, Fargo. Of 549 ballots cast, 275 were needed for a majority decision. Rindy received 372 votes over Sandgren’s 177.

Rindy is a 1992 graduate of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. Previous parishes include Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisbon, ND and Shiloh Lutheran Church in Elmore, MN Rindy succeeds Bishop Richard Foss who has served the synod since 1992 (Foss was ineligible for another term).

Resolutions included a request that the ELCA Rural Desk work with other organizations in America (such as the National Community Education Association (NCEA) (external link) and the Organization Concerned with Rural Education (OCRE) (external link) to make a concerted effort to revitalize rural America. Voting members voted to memorialize the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly (external link) for consideration and adoption of this resolution. They also requested the ELCA Rural Desk to report their progress to the 2009 Eastern North Dakota Synod Assembly.

A second resolution passed committing the synod to the Book of Faith Initiative (external link). In addition to synodical engagement, voting members asked that the bishop of the synod together with its Book of Faith advocate lead the initiative personally. Further resolves called for all voting members of the assembly to covenant to do regular bible study in their congregations and communities and to continue support for those places where the study of scripture is already happening. Finally, all congregations of the synod were encouraged to become “Book of Faith” congregations exploring new opportunities for engaging the Bible, sending representatives to training events, and making bible study an integral part of all meetings and gatherings.

This article will appear in an upcoming issue of The Lutheran magazine (external link).

Watch www.eandsynod.org for more details from the 2008 Eastern North Dakota Synod.