The Way to Become Bishop in the LCiGB

The former Bishop was only elected by 25 votes - total. If each church received one vote for clergy and one lay member then there would be at least 12 churches in the The Lutheran Church in Great Britain. However - each Trustees of The Lutheran Church in Great Britain is able to vote. The largest congregation in The Lutheran Church in Great Britain was given three lay member votes and one clergy vote.

Of the 25 votes for Bishop:

At least FOUR came from the congregation she was serving at the time.
Up to SIX came from the Trustees (of which most where members of her church).

So Bishop Jana was elected by 25 people of which close to 50% were members of the congregation she was serving.

But she has stepped down - quietly without announcement.

Who will replace her?

The current Trustees - each of which have a vote - have been hand selected by Dean Tom Bruch. SIX VOTES. (Do not forget one of the Trustees is his wife.)

Dean Bruch has ensured that all the African clergy are not really considered ordained so they will not be able to vote.

The majority of the Trustees of The Lutheran Church in Great Britain are members of the same church as Dean Tom Burch. The Dean has ensured that the current council of that congregation support him 100%. They take all of his administrative and legal advice and only have a "visiting pastor" because of Tom Bruch. The congregation (his) is allowed three or more votes.

NINE VOTES

IF and it is a BIG IF, there are actually 25 people allowed to go to the 2013 Synod (which is by invitation only and subject to new rules written by Tom Bruch):

25 - 3 = 22 (Dean Tom Bruch has successfully removed three clergy from voting).

So Dean Tom Bruch needs 22 votes and has hand selected at least 9 votes. I am sure he has also rewritten the rules to make sure that most of the other clergy in The Lutheran Church in Great Britain will be unqualified.

So Dean Burch might be elected Bishop - so what? Over the last few years he has almost shut down every congregation in the LCiGB. Even if The Lutheran Church in Great Britain gets "Bishop Thomas Bruch" he will be never be considered a real Bishop by anyone who looks into The Lutheran Church in Great Britain or Tom Bruch.