Bishop
Clergy

Bishop April Ulring Larson

April Ulring Larson’s life is a song characterized by the beautiful sound of her ministry and by the introduction of new movements pointing her and her church in new directions. She began her education and her career in vocal music, a field where women have long been active and are often found in leadership positions. She studied music at Luther College and at the University of Iowa.

Upon graduation, Larson began teaching choral music. Soon, though, she felt a call to the ministry. To those who had known her since childhood and could remember her baptizing dolls and preaching to her siblings, the decision was not surprising. At the time, however, few women attended seminary and Larson was unaware that the church had voted to ordain women. Shocked by the call, she was nervous about verbalizing her hope to others. Her husband, Judd, was elated by her choice. "That’s wonderful," he told her, " I’ve been praying for that." In 1974, she and Judd entered Wartburg Theological Seminary. They were the first married couple to attend Wartburg together, and April Larson was among the first ten women to graduate from Wartburg.

After completing her seminary studies, Bishop Larson continued to break new ground. She and her husband were one the first couples to work together in parish ministry, serving at several churches in Iowa. In 1989, the Larsons moved to Rochester, Minnesota, when Pastor Larson became the assistant to the Bishop of the Southeast Minnesota Synod of the ELCA.

In 1992, Larson was elected Bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod, making her the first woman Bishop in the ELCA and only the second Lutheran woman bishop in the world. In 1996, she was re-elected for a six-year term to serve the 80 congregation, 41,000 member synod. Since 1995, she is a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Agenda Committee of the Conference of Bishops. She has represented the Church in the public eye, being interviewed on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer.

Throughout her career, Bishop Larson has been at the forefront of ecumenism. Her office in Rochester, Minnesota was at the Assisi Heights home of the Franciscan sisters, and she maintains strong ties with her Roman Catholic co-workers in Christ. When Larson was elected Bishop, the sisters at Assisi celebrated the occasion with a special service. Larson has also represented the church around the world. In March of this year, she travelled with ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson to major European ecumenical centers. In 1997, she was a Bible Study Presenter at a conference of African Lutheran Women Theologians in Moshi, Tanzania. In that same year she was also a delegate to the 50th Anniversary of the Lutheran World Federation in Hong Kong, where she presided over the Eucharist which officially marked the Federation’s 50th anniversary. She was a participant in the Lutheran World Federation Churchwide Leaders Conference in Geneva in 1994, serving as a Bible Study Leader.

Other highlights of Bishop Larson’s career include: participation in the ELCA Task Force on the Study of Ministry (1988-1993) and serving as Churchwide choral director and song leader at several Global Mission events and the ELCA’s 20th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women in 1990. She was the preacher at the opening worship of the National Christian Unity Workshop in April of this year. In addition, Bishop Larson has published several articles in Augsburg/Fortress books and has contributed to Word and World. She is currently writing the Epiphany section of the new Proclamation Series B, to be published by Fortress Press in 1999.

The office of bishop is demanding and rewarding for any pastor. For Bishop Larson, the demands are greater because so many women around the world call on her frequently for advice and encouragement. Larson takes this in stride, however, committed to helping others grow in leadership and discover their spiritual gifts. She embraces the frequent opportunities to walk into situations fraught with tension, willing to let God make her an instrument of peace. Primarily a preacher and a teacher in the church, Bishop Larson remains marked by her years in choral directing. Whatever the key changes, Bishop Larson works to bring all into harmony.

Bishop Larson has received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Wartburg Theological Seminary and Luther College.