Rev. Allende to be installed as bishop of Northeastern Ohio Synod

CUYAHOGA FALLS

The Rev. Abraham Allende will be installed as the fourth bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at 2 p.m. today at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will conduct the installation.

Voting members attending the Northeastern Ohio Synod assembly in May elected the Rev. Mr. Allende to a six-year term. The Northeastern Ohio Synod includes Lutheran churches in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. Bishop-elect Allende, 69, will succeed Bishop Eaton.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from California University of Pennsylvania. From 1967-1971 he did graduate work in Spanish literature at Kent State University. In 2002 received his Theological Education for Emerging Ministries certificate from Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Bishop Allende served as pastor and mission developer of Iglesia Luterana La Trinidad in Canton, and pastor of The Lutheran Church of the Covenant, Maple Heights.

His wife, Linda Gotthardt, teaches English as a second language at the University of Akron. They have a son.

The ELCA Northeastern Ohio Synod has 61,668 members in 179 congregations. Visit www.neos-elca.org.