wfn.org | Lohrmann Elected Lutheran Bishop in Northwestern Ohio

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 18, 1998

LOHRMANN ELECTED LUTHERAN BISHOP IN NORTHWESTERN OHIO
98-18-111-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Marcus C. Lohrmann, 47, Olivet Lutheran
Church, Sylvania, Ohio, was elected bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  He received 307 votes to
200 for the Rev. Paul F. Hegele, 49, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Toledo,
Ohio, on the fifth ballot taken during the synod's assembly May 16-17 in
Bowling Green, Ohio.
     Lohrmann will succeed Bishop James A. Rave on July 1.  Rave, 62,
plans to retire after having served as the synod's bishop since the
formation of the ELCA in 1988.
     Lohrmann is a graduate of Concordia College, Ann Arbor, Mich., and
Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind.  He earned a master's degree and
doctorate from Christ Seminary-Seminex, St. Louis.  Ordained in 1977, he
served as pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Hazelwood,
Mo., and St. John Lutheran Church, Hicksville, Ohio.
     There were 101 names on the nominating ballot.  The Rev. Joan A.H.
Gunderman, 46, Perrysburg, Ohio, was also among the final three candidates
for bishop.
     The ELCA's Northwestern Ohio Synod is based in Findlay, Ohio, and
includes 110,198 Lutherans in 193 congregations in 23 Ohio counties.

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Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html