LCC Elects New President

WINNIPEG – On the morning of June 13, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) elected Rev. David Haberstock to serve as the church’s new synodical president. Rev. Haberstock was elected after two rounds of voting.

Rev. Haberstock was first elected to serve as LCC’s Central Regional Pastor in 2018, and was reelected to a second term in 2022. He further served on the Board of Directors for the Central District from 2006-2015. Rev. Haberstock served as pastor of Grace Lutheran (Regina) from 2015-2018 and Epiphany Lutheran (Thunder Bay, Ontario) from 2004-2015.

Rev. David Haberstock, Rev. Ted Giese, and Rev. Joel Kuhl had all consented to let their name stand for election. (Rev. Michael Schutz withdrew his name for consideration prior to the vote.) The first round of voting saw Rev. Haberstock receive 125 votes, Rev. Giese 80 votes, and Rev. Kuhl 70 votes. Rev. Kuhl was dropped from the ballot, and a second vote was held, with Rev. Haberstock receiving 154 votes (55.2 percent) and Rev. Giese receiving 125.

President Elect Haberstock succeeds President Timothy Teuscher, who announced in 2025 he would not be standing for reelection. President Teuscher was first elected at LCC’s 2017 convention, and was installed into office in January 2018. He was reelected to a second term in 2022.

During his tenure, President Teuscher led LCC through the complex period which followed the restructuring of the church body in 2017. In addition to his service to the Canadian church, President Teuscher has further served confessional Lutheranism globally as Vice-Chairman of the International Lutheran Council throughout his term as LCC President.

The convention acknowledged President Teuscher’s service later in the day, passing a resolution thanking God for Dr. Teuscher’s leadership as president and bestowing upon him the title of Past President. The assembly rose to applaud Dr. Teuscher and sing the Doxology.

President-elect Haberstock will be installed into office later this year.

Vice-President

The same morning also saw the election of Rev. Ted Giese as Vice-President of Lutheran Church–Canada. He was elected on the second ballot.

Rev. Giese has served on LCC’s Board of Directors from 2022 to the present. He has also served in leadership with the International Missions Committee, on the Board of Regents of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton, among other service. He is Lead Pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran (Regina).

Rev. Giese, Rev. Kuhl, Rev. Kurt Lantz, and Rev. David Zakel had all consented to let their name stand for election. (Rev. Schutz withdrew his name for consideration prior to the

vote.) The first round saw Rev. Giese receive 140 votes, Rev. Kuhl 107, and Rev. Lantz and Rev. Zakel both receive 22. Rev. Lantz and Rev. Zakel were dropped from the ballot, and a second vote was held, with Rev. Giese receiving 151 votes and Rev. Kuhl 129.

Print this article