Queensland bishop re-elected

Pastor Paul Smith has been re-elected as Bishop of the LCA’s Queensland District.

Bishop Smith, who was first elected to the post at the district’s 2015 convention, was endorsed for a further three-year term earlier this month in the south-eastern Queensland city of Bundaberg.

Also at the district’s 51^st Convention of Synod at St John’s Lutheran Church and Primary School, Pastor Mark Vainnika from Redeemer Lutheran College Rochedale was elected as First Assistant Bishop for a two-year term. Pastor Ben Hentschke from Ipswich Lutheran Church was elected as Second Assistant Bishop for a one-year term. Pastors Vainnika and Hentschke had been appointed to their district roles by Queensland’s District Church Council after former First Assistant Bishop James Haak was elected to serve as NSW District Bishop from earlier this year.

Bishop Smith said he thanked God for ‘this opportunity to continue to serve in this role’.

‘Please pray for me and for all the leaders in our church’, he said to members of the District through its electronic newsletter today. ‘Please pray that we would be daily reminded of the promise that our labours in the name of the risen Lord are never in vain.’