May 5, 2005

CHICAGO – The Rev. Darrell D. Morton, Woodbridge, Va., will become assistant to the presiding bishop for Federal Chaplaincies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on July 1.

Morton, 59, succeeds the Rev. Lloyd W. Lyngdal, who retired Nov. 30, 2003. Lyngdal served as assistant for federal chaplaincies since Jan. 1, 1988, the date the ELCA came into existence. The Rev. Ivan G. Ives, chaplain (Col.), U.S. Army, Ret., is serving as interim assistant.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, appointed Morton and made the announcement at an ELCA Church Council meeting here April 9-11. The council is the ELCA's board of directors.

"Chaplain Darrell Morton brings to this position over 25 years of experience in service to this church as an ordained pastor and a chaplain in the United States Air Force. He has a passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with men and women in the military, a commitment to assist the congregations of the church in supporting those who serve and their families, and a breadth of experience with several branches of federal and military service," Hanson said. "I am delighted that he has accepted this call and look forward to having him as a colleague."

Since 2002 Morton served as chief of personnel and readiness, Office of the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, Washington, D.C. He serves as chair of the Ethics Advisory Committee to the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, and represents the Air Force on the Personnel Advisory Group of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board – an organization that advises the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

For the past 28 years Morton served as a pastor in the Lutheran church and as an active duty chaplain for about 25 years. He is on the clergy roster of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod and is a member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Lakeridge, Va.

Morton graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1971. He earned a master of divinity degree from Lutheran Brethren Seminary, Fergus Falls, Minn., in 1975, and became certified for ordination in the ELCA at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, in 1977. Luther is one of eight seminaries of the ELCA. Morton and his wife Wendy have four adult children.

"I am committed to the ministries of the ELCA and its provision of ministry to our Lutheran people who serve the military," said Morton.

"The smaller number of Lutheran pastors being accessed into the active duty chaplaincy makes it imperative for us as a church to more aggressively recruit women and men into the chaplaincies of the armed services. The military recruiters are anxious to receive our people; they are recognized for the quality ministry they bring," he said.

The ELCA Department for Synodical Relations oversees the work of the ELCA Bureau for Federal Chaplaincy Ministries, which provides support for the ELCA's 400 active duty and reserve military chaplains, as well as 130 clergy in other federal chaplaincies. The bureau is based in Washington, D.C.

ELCA News Service