Moravian Church Canadian District President Elected On First Ballot
The Canadian District of the Moravian Church in North America elected the Rev. Stephen Gohdes of Calgary, Alberta, as its President during the Canadian District Synod, held at the Good Shepherd Moravian Church in Calgary, Alberta, from April 23-25, 2004. A synod is an assembly of church delegates, including clergy and lay people, who are called together every four years for discussion, decision, and policy-making regarding church matters. The Canadian District of the Moravian Church in North America consists of approximately 1000 members at 8 recognized Moravian Congregations throughout western Canada in the Calgary and Edmonton Areas. The Moravian Church in Canada began in 1895 at Bruderheim and Bruderfeld (now Millwoods) in Edmonton. The first Moravian Church in Calgary was started in 1902. The Canadian District, along with the Eastern and Western District, form the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America.
The position of Canadian District President, along with an Board of Elders of elected lay and clergy, has supervisory responsibility for the congregations and clergy of the District, works with congregations in calling pastors, addressing conflict, establishing quotas, managing finances, and determining budgets for the various ministries that congregations do together. The Board of Elders and the President are concerned with everything from conflict management to evangelism. They represent the entire District and not geographic areas.
In order to be elected as Canadian District President, a person can be officially nominated by a nominating committee or can be elected by free vote through delegates submitting write-in votes. A two-thirds majority vote is required for election. On the first ballot, Gohdes received 56 out of 79 legally cast votes electing him to the position. Each term is four years in length.
Upon being elected, Gohdes stated, “The Moravian Church has been a community of people of service, inclusion, initiative, kindness, hope, and peace in the name of Christ. I am awed and humbled to serve a church with a rich mission past and a new commitment to serve the needs of the world in relevant and creative ways. I am excited to be part of a vibrant team amidst the District Board and our vital Moravian Churches of Alberta.”
Born in Fargo, North Dakota, Gohdes is a 1983 graduate of Moravian College and a 1986 graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary, both located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church in North America in 1986 and was consecrated a presbyter in 1989. He has served as a Pastor at Glenwood Moravian Church, Madison, Wisconsin (1986-1990); Heimtal Moravian Church, South Edmonton, Alberta (1990-1992); Bruderheim Moravian Church, Bruderheim, Alberta (1992-1996); and Christ Moravian Church, Calgary, Alberta (1996 to present). He has also served as a church developer in Southwest Edmonton from 1990 to 1992. In addition to his pastoral service to congregations, he has served as Director of the Primitive Church Camp in the Western District of the Moravian Church of the Northern Province, as a camp director at summer camps at Camp Van Es in the Canadian District of the Northern Province, as a volunteer hospital Chaplain and long-term care worship leader in various areas in the United States and Canada. He has also served as chaplain at the Bruderheim Volunteer Fire Department. His community service and activities include serving as a little league baseball coach, serving as an Alberta Basketball Official Association referee, and serving on the Calgary Basketball Official Association as Executive of Education.
As President of the Board of Elders, Canadian District, Gohdes also then serves as a Vice President of the Provincial Elders’ Conference, Northern Province, which serves in partnership with the Southern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference, constituting the Moravian Church in North America.
Graham Kerslake, outgoing Canadian District President, stated, “Steve is an exceptional choice to represent the Moravian Church in Canada. He is well known from serving congregations, both at Edmonton and Calgary, in a variety of ways throughout his pastoral career. He serves as a mentor to many and the journey for the Moravian Canadian Church under his leadership will be an exciting one over the next four years.”
Gohdes, and his wife, Heidi, reside in Calgary, Alberta. They are the parents of a son, Daniel, who is currently attending Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and a daughter, Kari, at home.
All delegates and guests gathered to install the Rev. Gohdes and the other newly elected members of the Canadian District Executive Board in a special worship service at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, April 25, 2004, at Good Shepherd Moravian Church, Calgary, Alberta. The Rev. David Wickmann, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Northern Province, conducted the installation portion of the service. The Rev. Basil Coward of Calgary, the Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler of Edmonton, and the Rt. Rev. Percival Henkelmann of Fort Saskatchewan assisted in the Holy Communion service.
The elected members of the Board of Elders, Canadian District, include: The Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler, Edmonton; Michael Melle, Sherwood Park; Sally Dunn, Edmonton; Ryerson Christie, Edmonton; Bernard Amiot, Calgary, and Alice Sears, Edmonton, who was also elected to serve as a member of the Board of World Mission.
The Moravian Church was founded in Germany more than 500 years ago and at that time was officially called the Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of the Brethren, which remains the church’s official name today. The Moravian Church is one of the oldest Protestant denominations dating back to 1457 in Europe and first coming to America in 1735. Moravians have a strong tradition of ecumenical work and are best known for their missionary work and rich musical heritage. The Moravian Church in North America is comprised of the Northern, Southern, and Alaskan Provinces. The Northern Province has approximately 28,000 members in 102 congregations in 13 states in the U.S. and two Canadian provinces. The Southern Province includes nearly 20,000 members in 58 congregations, which are located primarily throughout the Southeast. Moravians now number more than 789,000 worldwide and are spread across five continents and more than 20 jurisdictional provinces.
