Rev. Greg Busboom Elected Bishop
Rev. Greg Busboom elected bishop of the ELCA Central/Southern Illinois Synod
SPRINGFIELD (June 3, 2023) — The Rev. Greg Busboom was elected bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on Saturday, June 3. The election was held during the synod’s annual assembly, March 25 via Zoom and June 1-3 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton East Peoria Riverfront Hotel & Conference Center in East Peoria.
Busboom was elected on the fifth ballot with 158 votes; the Rev. Elise Rothfusz, Director for Evangelical Mission of the Centra/Southern Illinois Synod, received 82 votes.
Busboom has served as lead pastor at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois, since 2011. He previously served as pastor of outreach and discipleship at St. John’s from 2007 to 2011 and pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Carthage, Illinois, from 1999 to 2007.
Busboom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio; and Doctor of Ministry degree in congregational mission and leadership from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trinity and Luther are two of seven ELCA seminaries.
Busboom will take office on September 1 and will be installed at a worship service on September 23 in Springfield. He succeeds the Rev. Dr. S. John Roth, who has served since 2011 and will retire on August 31.
Information about the Central/Southern Illinois Synod is available at CSIS-ELCA.org.
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Michael Horn
Director of Communications
217-753-7915
michael.horn@csis-elca.org