The
Rev. Mike Rinehart, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX, was elected
to be the new bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America at this year’s synod assembly. He will succeed
Bishop Paul Blom, who has served as the bishop of the synod for the past sixteen
years and is retiring in August.
Pastor Rinehart, 45, has been serving at Grace in Conroe since 1997. He and his wife Susan have two young children. During his time at Grace in Conroe, he has served as the Mission Interpreter Coordinator of the synod, on the Youth and Family Ministry Team, and as the dean of the Piney Woods Ministerium.
The runner-up in the election was the Rev. Mike Button, pastor of Christ Lutheran
Church, Brenham, TX.
Pastor Rinehart will be installed as bishop of the synod on September 29.