NEWS RELEASE: The Rev. Kevin T. Shock to be installed as Allegheny Synod Bishop on Saturday, Feb. 7

For immediate release

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. -- The Rev. Kevin T. Shock will be installed as bishop of the Allegheny Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Saturday, Feb. 7. He was elected on November 1, 2025, to serve a six-year term as synodical bishop. 

The installation will take place at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1000 Scalp Ave., Johnstown, beginning at 2 p.m.The event will also be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/MtCalvaryJohnstown.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry will preach and preside at the installation. Several bishops from various faith denominations are expected to be in attendance.

“The people of this synod have loved and shaped me since my family moved to Altoona when I was 10 years old,” Shock said. “I am humbled and honored to be called to serve God’s people as bishop and to proclaim the abundant love of God in Christ together with them.”

He has served as Assistant to the Bishop for the Allegheny Synod since 2022, having concurrently served as Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM) from 2022-2023.

Prior to this role, Shock was Pastor at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pleasant Gap (2006–2022) and Intern Pastor at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Verona, NY (2004–2005). Before entering ordained ministry, he worked as Ministry Assistant at Zion Lutheran Church, Hollidaysburg (1998-2002) and as a counselor at Camp Sequanota, Jennerstown (1995).

Shock earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) in 2006 and Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education (English/German) from Juniata College in 1998.

A native of Blair County, Shock and his spouse are residents of Howard, Centre County.

The Rev. Barbara J. Collins has served as interim bishop of the Allegheny Synod since September 2024; Shock began the work of bishop on February 1.

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The Allegheny Synod of the ELCA is comprised of 97 congregations in seven counties across south central Pennsylvania, including Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Huntingdon, and Somerset, and one congregation in Grantsville, Md.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 2.7 million members in more than 8,400 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.

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Contact: The Rev. Marty Jo Irvin Stellabotte, Assistant to the Bishop for Communications

alleghenysynodcommunications@gmail.com  cell: 814-934-9941