May 9, 2015 in 2015 Assembly, Assembly
Richard Elected Secretary
Pastor Karl Richard loves history and scripture.
He will utilize both in his new role as synod secretary, to which he was elected Saturday, May 9.
“The secretary is not writing scripture, of course, but as we gather together I feel I would be recording the Acts of the Apostles of this day,” he says. “I would be recording how the church feels, and I think what the secretary records enables the church to remember accurately what we said and did.”
The new secretary said he feels this work is important because it conveys how we understand the Holy Spirit. “The position requires the handling of good process and procedures, to record reliably what we said and did, and I think that is important.”
Newly elected Secretary, the Rev. Karl Richard (right) with Bishop Burkat, outgoing Secretary the Rev. Raymond A. Miller (second from left), and his predecessor, the Rev. Larry V. Smoose (left).
Pastor Richard, of St. Matthew’s, Springfield, says he wants to do the work of the secretary “because I enjoy being part of each expression of the church. I enjoy being a parish pastor and also being part of the broader church. I think I have the skills for the position, and I enjoy the idea of both having a voice in the process and recording reliably what takes place.” As he takes up this work he plans to discontinue his role as chair of the synod’s Finance Committee.
Qualities he possesses for the position, he believes, are “a love of history and a love of the witness of the church, an ability to play a part in prayerfully recording the deliberation of others as we see where the Holy Spirit is taking us in the future.”
The final election results on the second ballot Saturday morning were close. Pastor Richard received 149 of 281 votes and Pastor William Vanderslice (St. Paul’s, Red Hill) received 132 votes.
– Rev. Katherine Cartwright Knodel
