At a service at the American Evangelical Lutheran Church held at the Cathedral of Gods Grace in San Francisco, the appointment of Reverend Meagan Rohrer – the first open transgender person – was announced as Bishop of one of 65 Church synods, which includes about 200 congregations located in Northern California. and in the north of Nevada.
Rohrer was appointed bishop for a six-year term in May at a meeting of the Sierra Pacific Synod. The church is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with about 3.3 million parishioners.
“I intend to continue doing what I have done before,” Rohrer told his parishioners. “But the main thing (if you allow me, and I think you will) is to love you and love what you love.”
“I took on this responsibility because the Lutherans of Northern California and Nevada, prayerfully, voted in favor of this historic move,” said Rohrer, who is married with two children and prefers to be referred to by the pronoun ‘they.’ “My assignment will mean that anything is possible when we allow the Lord, our shepherd, to lead us forward.”
Rohrer previously served as a pastor at a Lutheran church in San Francisco and as a chaplain for the city’s police department.
Newspaper headline:
Bishop of undetermined gender
.