“My vision for our church is reflected in the four emphases that Presiding Bishop Eaton has broadly expressed. We are Church. We are Lutheran. We are Church together.  We are Lutheran for the Sake of the World,” Says Bill Horne, the recently elected Vice President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  “I want the church to listen to the multi-generational voices within and work passionately to be what God has called us to do in the world.”

Bill Horne, a member of St. Paul’s in Clearwater, comes with a varied and interesting background.  He serves as the Chief Administrative Officer (City Manager) of the Clearwater with responsibility for all departments except the City Attorney’s office.  He is directly responsible for 1685 employees and accountable for the annual operating and capital budget.

Horne served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force before moving to Clearwater in 1998. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Tulsa, a Masters in Human Resources Management from Pepperdine University, and a Masters in Political Science from Auburn University.

He grew up as a member of the National Baptist Convention church and his wife grew up in the United Methodist Church.  After their marriage in 1970, he was commissioned in the Air Force. There, he and Loretta, his wife, participated in non-denomination military chapel programs until a Lutheran Chaplain invited the family to join a Lutheran denominational worship service held on Sunday morning.  They have been Lutheran ever since.

“The Lutheran worship tradition and theology combined with the welcoming we have received keeps us Lutheran,” he says. “My service to this church in all three expressions reflects my faith in what Lutherans believe and practice in daily life.”

Bill served as Florida-Bahamas Synod Vice President, and went on to become a member of the ELCA Church Council. He has co-hosted two webinars on racism with Bishop Eaton in the past year. Our prayers are with Bill as he begins this new venture in serving.