Matthew C. Harrison | |
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LCMS President Rev. Matthew C. Harrison Photo by Kris Bueltmann courtesy of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod |
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Born | March 14, 1962 Sioux City, Iowa |
Education | Morningside College, Sioux City (1984); Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (1989) |
Spouse | Kathy Harrison ('nee Schimm) |
Children | Two sons |
Church | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod |
Ordained | 1991 |
Congregations served | St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Westgate, Iowa Zion Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
Offices held | Executive Director, LCMS World Relief/Human Care |
Matthew C. Harrison (born March 14, 1962 in Sioux City, Iowa) is the 13th and current President of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. He was elected to the presidency on July 13, 2010 at its 64th regular convention held in Houston, Texas. Rev. Harrison officially took office on September 1, 2010, and was formally installed at a service on September 11, 2010 at Concordia Seminary St. Louis.[1] He was elected by a 54 - 45% margin on the first ballot.[2]
Rev. Harrison previously served as the Executive Director of the Department of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, and founding president of the LCMS Housing Corporation (also known as Lutheran Housing Support.)
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Matthew Harrison was born in Sioux City, Iowa on March 14, 1962. He was baptized at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton, Iowa. He grew up in Sioux City, where his family belonged to Redeemer Lutheran Church. He graduated from Sioux City East High School in 1980 and Morningside College in 1987.[3] Harrison attended seminary at Concordia Theological Seminary at which he earned a Master of Divinity and, in 1991, a Master of Sacred Theology degree.[4] He is enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy program of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.
Matthew Harrison's first parish was in Westgate, Iowa.[4]
Harrison served as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church of Fort Wayne, Indiana during the 1990s. During his ministry at Zion, the urban decay around the church moved him to join with St. Peter Catholic Church and community leaders to revitalize the Hanna-Creighton neighborhood. This joint effort recruited investors to clear many dilapidated homes, restore others and build new ones in that ten block area. The effort was a success and led to the construction of a new branch of the Allen County Public Library and an office for the Fort Wayne Urban League in the neighborhood. This initiative continues in the City of Fort Wayne's Renaissance Pointe project.[5]
In his role as head of LCMS World Relief beginning in 2001, Rev. Harrison made several trips to work with those in need in among the slums of Kibera, Kenya and in other East African countries. He worked in Asia following the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami and in Louisiana in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. He also spent several months in early 2010 coordinating LCMS aid in Haiti following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Kevin Leininger, "Ex-city pastor new leader of Missouri Synod Lutherans: The Rev. Matthew C. Harrison pastored Zion Lutheran Church." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (July 14, 2010).
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Preceded by Gerald B. Kieschnick |
Thirteenth President Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 2010– |
Succeeded by Current |