Office of the Bishop

The Bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod is an ordained minister of word and sacrament responsible for preaching, teaching, and administering sacraments in accordance with the Confession of Faith of this church; holding primary responsibility for the ministry of word and sacraments in the synod; providing pastoral care and leadership for the synod; exercising the church’s power to ordain approved candidates to enter ministry; commissioning approved candidates for service to the synod; attesting letters of call; installing lay and rostered ministers of this synod; disciplining ministers as provided by the synod constitution; presiding over the Synod Assembly; being a voting member of the Churchwide Assembly; and overseeing and administering the work of this synod. The current elected Bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod is The Reverend Doctor Marcus C. Lohrmann. Click here to view writings by Bishop Lohrmann.

About Bishop Lohrmann

The Rev. Dr. Marcus Carl Lohrmann is a member of Olivet Lutheran Church in Sylvania, Ohio. He was born on June 11, 1950 to Hugo Carl Lohrmann and Thelma (Hensler) Lohrmann in Waterloo, Iowa. After receiving a degree from Concordia Senior College of Fort Wayne, Indiana, he studied at Concordia Seminary in Exile and received his Masters of Divinity. Bishop Lohrmann was ordained on October 2, 1977 at The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Hazelwood, Missouri, by the Rev. Dr. Harry N. Huxhold. Bishop Lohrmann completed his Doctorate in Ministry at Christ Seminary — Seminex.

Rev. Lohrmann served an internship at Our Redeemer of Indianapolis from 1974-1976. His first call after ordination was to the Lutheran Church of Good Shepherd of St. Louis, Missouri from 1977-1989. He came to St. John in Hicksville, Ohio in 1989, where he served until 1997. Rev. Lohrmann then served Olivet in Sylvania until being elected Bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod on May 17, 1998. Bishop Lohrmann was installed on August 29, 1998, and is currently serving his third six-year term.

Bishop Lohrmann married Heidemarie Erika Hildebrandt Lohrmann (Heidi) on July 31, 1976. They have three adult children: Adam Carl (married to Kjerstin Gurda), Rachel Marie (married to Pastor Ben Sheets), and Rebecca Joy (married to Cyril Gauchet). Bishop Lohrmann enjoys gardening, walking, reading, and spending time with his family.