The La Crosse Area of the ELCA made history global women delegates, she was a pioneer in intro- by electing the Rev. April Ulring Larson to be their ducing global music to our . In 1997 she also on June 12, 1882, making her the first woman was a delegate to the 50 th Anniversary of the Lutheran bishop in the ELCA and the second Lutheran woman World Federation in Hong Kong, where she presided bishop in the world. In 1996 and 2002 she was re- at the that officially marked the Federation’s th elected and served 16 years as bishop. Her passion 50 anniversary. as a synodical bishop was strengthening and congregations. Her priorities were personal visitation Service to both Church and community distinguish of pastors and congregations, evangelism, youth, Bishop Larson’s career. She was a member of the , stewardship, global mission, and a vision of Executive Committee and Chair of the Com- the wider church. mittee of the Conference of of the ELCA. She completed service as a member of the Lutheran Rev. Dr. Larson, a native of Decorah, Iowa, studied World Relief Board and the Luther College Board of music at Luther College and at the University of Iowa, Regents. She served two years as President of the graduating from the latter with a bachelor’s degree in Wisconsin Council of Churches, and served from vocal music in 1972. Upon graduation she married 1988-1993 as a member of the ELCA Task Force on Jud Larson and taught music for two year in a Roman the Study of Ministry. She has written several chap- school. Hearing a call to ordained ministry, ters in Augsburg/Fortress books, was a writer for in 1974 she and her husband entered Wartburg Theo- Word & World, and was featured on the McNeil Leher logical Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. They were the News Hour. She was the choral director for the La first married couple to begin and finish Wartburg Crosse Area Synod All Choral Fest in 1996 seminary together, and in 1977 Rev. Dr. Larson was and served as preacher, presider, or Study among the first 10 women to graduate from that semi- leader at three of the ELCA’s Triennial Women’s Con- nary. The Larson's then served as co-pastors of ventions. Bishop Larson was the runner up in the three successive parishes in Iowa. As a parish 1995 ELCA churchwide election for she served on the Northeastern Iowa Transition and a finalist for presiding Bishop in 2001. She was Team, was the Iowa District trainer of the Search Bi- honored to be the preacher at the churchwide installa- ble Study congregational lecturers, and was a mem- tion of Bishop H. Anderson in 1995, and a ber of the Iowa District Theological Task Force that commencement preacher at five of our ELCA semi- authorized “Evangelism Guidelines for Congrega- naries, as well as the Yost Lecturer at Southern Semi- tions.” In 1989, she accepted a call as Assistant to the nary. Honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Wart- Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. burg Theological Seminary and Luther College have been presented to Bishop Larson, as well as the Wit- Throughout her ministry, Bishop Larson has been a tenberg Award from the Luther Institute in Washing- leader in and strengthening our relation- ton, D.C. and the Distinguished Service Award from ship with the global church. She traveled with then California Lutheran University. ELCA presiding Bishop H. George Anderson to the major European ecumenical centers in Rome, Ge- With a passion for parish ministry, Rev. Dr. Larson neva, Canterbury, and Istanbul (1998). Bishop Larson has been serving as the senior pastor for First Lu- led a La Crosse Area Synod delegation to its com- theran Church in Duluth Minnesota since 2008. Her panion Synod, the Central Synod of the Ethiopian husband, Rev. Judd Larson was called to be the as- Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (1997). In 1997 sociate pastor at First Lutheran in February 2010. The Bishop Larson was the Lutheran World Federation Larsons’ twin daughters are both specialist physi- Bible study presenter at the conference of African Lu- cians. Their daughter, Katie and her husband Seth, theran Women Theologians in Moshi, Tanzania, and have two children, Paul and Rebecca and currently in 1994 the Bible study presenter for the conference reside in Iowa City, Iowa. Amy and her husband Pe- of national presidents and presiding bishops from ter, and daughters Rachel and Elizabeth reside in the across the LWF. Bishop Larson also served as the Twin Cities. Pastors April and Judd’s youngest child, U.S. Advisory Board President for the Strasbourg In- Ben and his wife Renee were in Haiti in January 2010 stitute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, . on a mission trip. Ben died as a result of the earth- As a churchwide choral director and song leader, in- quake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. Ben was a fourth cluding three ELCA Global Mission Events and a na- year seminary student at Wartburg Seminary in Du- tional ALC women’s convention featuring numerous buque, Iowa.