February 17, 2005

United Methodists in Germany elected a new bishop – the denomination's first woman named to that office in Europe – on Feb. 16.

The Rev. Rosemarie Wenner received the needed two-thirds majority vote of the 100 delegates of the Germany Central Conference on the fourth ballot.

A native of Eppingen in southern Germany, the 49-year-old had served as superintendent of the church's Frankfurt District since 1996. She studied at the United Methodist Theological Seminary in Reutlingen and has held pastorates in Karlsruhe, Hockenheim and Darmstadt.

Wenner, who takes office April 1, succeeds Bishop Walter Klaiber. He is retiring after almost 16 years in office.

The central conference meets every four years and is the highest decision-making body of the United Methodist Church in Germany. It is divided into three annual (regional) conferences, representing about 65,000 people.

United Methodist News Service