CHICAGO (June 12, 2025) — The Rev. Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt was reelected June 6 to serve a third six-year term as bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 6-7 at the Africa Event Center at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Ohio.
Dillahunt was reelected on the first ballot, with 171 votes. A total of 169 votes were needed for election.
Dillahunt was elected bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod in 2013. She previously served as assistant to the synod bishop (1996-2013); co-pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Eaton, Ohio (1994-1996); associate pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna, Ohio (1990-1994); co-pastor of Faith in Christ Lutheran Church in Springfield, Ohio (1988-1990); and pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, also in Springfield (1987-1988).
She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981 and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus in 1986. Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Information about the Southern Ohio Synod is available here.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
