# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S30
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

candidates and the numbers of votes each received (TB,
2B:286). These results are as follow:
Benjamin T. Ball
Patrick T. Ferry
Matthew C. Harrison
Peter K. Lange
Richard Snow

341
1,593
2,616
132
318

Victor J. Belton (FG)
Christopher S. Esget (EN)
Jeffrey J. Kloha (SE)
Deric A. Taylor (NJ)
Luke T. Zimmerman (EN)

6.82%
31.86%
52.32%
2.64%
6.36%

Chairman Sailer declared Matthew C. Harrison elected,
his having received, in the first ballot, the majority of votes
cast. During his response, President Harrison thanked the
Synod for “quite a run,” and thanked also those who were
also willing to stand as candidates for a position that is “not
easy.” He thanked his colleagues on the Council of
Presidents and at the International Center, “who make so
much of the job a joy,” and Village Lutheran Church in
Ladue, Mo., where he is a pastor in an assisting capacity. He
introduced, and thanked God for, his faithful family.
“Without Christ it would be impossible … God bless you.
Here we go, for another round.”
President Harrison, resuming the chair, thanked the
nominees and candidates in 68 positions to be elected for
offering their names for service. He next acknowledged Rev.
Sailer and called for an update to the registration report,
which read as follows:
1,014
160
161

188
506
175
51
76

(declared elected)

Regional Vice-President (Ordained, Great Lakes Region, 3-year term)

Total Ballots Cast
5,000
Total Registered Electorate 6,053

Voting delegates
Advisory delegates
Advisory representatives

Regional Vice-President (Ordained, East-Southeast Region, 3-year
term)

(497 lay and 517 pastors)

Peter Bender (SW)
130 139
Steven G. (Steve) Kline (NW)
47
David P. E. Maier (MI)
299 367 413
David P. Ramirez (SW)
123
John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW) 389 490 585

Regional Vice-President (Ordained, Great Plains Region, 3-year term)
Byrene K. (Keith) Haney (IW) 177 249
Robert R. Lessing (MNS)
168 160
David C. Mumme (MNS)
114
Nabil S. Nour (SD)
464 592
Russell L. (Russ) Sommerfeld (NEB) 78

(declared elected)

Regional Vice-President (Ordained, West-Southwest Region, 3-year
term)
Alfonso O. Espinosa (PSW)
124
Timothy M. Klinkenberg (PSW) 168
Yohannes A. Mengsteab (TX) 114
Scott R. Murray (TX)
505
Jeffery T. (Jeff) Schrank (PSW) 84

(declared elected)

Election to Determine Ranking of Second through Sixth VicePresidents
For Second Vice-President

The report was moved and adopted without objection.
President Sailer updated the convention on aspects of the
voting process and equipment, which received attention
from the contractor and committee before and over the
lunch recess. He reviewed the process for election of the First
Vice-President of the Synod; after that election, he would do
the same for the regional vice-presidents. He called upon
Chaplain Daenzer to offer prayer.
Election of First Vice-President

Benjamin T. (Ben) Ball (SI)
Christopher S. Esget (EN)
Scott R. Murray (TX)
Nabil S. Nour (SD)
John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW)
Christopher S. Esget (EN)
Scott R. Murray (TX)
Nabil S. Nour (SD)
John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW)
For Fourth Vice-President

Allan R. Buss (NI)
Christopher S. Esget (EN)
Jamison J. Hardy (EN)
Peter K. Lange (MO)
Richard L. Snow (NEB)

Christopher S. Esget (EN)
Nabil S. Nour (SD)
John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW)
(declared elected)

Regional Vice-President (Ordained, Central Region, 3-year term)

Sixth Vice-President

Randy K. Asburry (MO)
59
Benjamin T. (Ben) Ball (SI) 484 554
Jason M. Braaten (CI)
62
William R. Marler (MO)
14
Lawrence R. Rast Jr. (IN)
231 291
William W. Schumacher (MO) 149 155

John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW)

(declared elected)

30 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

351

429 498 (decl. el.)

283
212
137

325 482
234

151 145
484 605
210 229
135
297 354
473 622
212

(declared elected)

(declared elected)

For Fifth Vice-President
Christopher S. Esget (EN)
John C. Wohlrabe Jr. (SW)

Election of Regional Vice-Presidents

250
153
220
204
160

For Third Vice-President

First Vice-President (Ordained, 3-year term)
57
57
51
578
243

(decl. el.)

535
446

(declared elected)

(declared elected)

Catechism—Introduction
The Rev. Peter Bender was invited to conduct a catechesis
for the convention on the basis of Luther’s Small Catechism
with Explanation (St. Louis: CPH, 2017), of which all
Minutes