The Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America elected a new bishop over the weekend at the group's annual assembly in Rochester.

The Rev. Steven Delzer, of Faribault, Minn., will serve a 6-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the (ELCA). Delzer was elected on the fifth ballot with 310 votes during the synod assembly on Saturday, according to a released statement from the synod.

The Southeastern Minnesota Synod has the third-largest membership in Minnesota --nearly 125,000 -- following the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Synods. There are nearly 800,000 ELCA members total in Minnesota.

Delzer is currently pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Faribault, where he has served since 2002. He previously served as an interim pastor at Zion Lutheran Church, West Union, Iowa (2000-2001) and First Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minn. (2001-2001). Prior to 2000, he served congregations in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Delzer will be installed Sept. 7. Information about the Southeastern Minnesota Synod is available at semnsynod.org.