Becca Middeke-Conlin, Tulsa, Okla., was elected May 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the ELCA Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod. The election took place during the synod assembly, May 5-7, at the Hyatt Place Tulsa–South in Tulsa.
Middeke-Conlin was elected on the fifth ballot, with 58 votes to 32 votes for Peter Olson, a pastor of the Shared Ministry of North Central Oklahoma.
The bishop-elect has served as director for evangelical mission and associate for youth and young adult ministry in the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod since 2021. Prior to that, she served as pastor of the following congregations in Pennsylvania: St. Paul in Easton (2016-2021); Good Shepherd in Easton (2019 -2021), and Holy Spirit in Emmaus (2014-2015). From 2009 to 2014, she served as pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Georgetown, Conn.
Middeke-Conlin earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire in 2003 and her Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, now United Lutheran Seminary, in 2008. United is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Middeke-Conlin will take office July 1. She will be installed Oct. 14 at Fellowship Lutheran Church in Tulsa.
Michael Girlinghouse has served as bishop since 2011 and has decided to pursue new avenues of service. His last day as bishop will be June 30.
