Retirement Celebration
Holy Cross Lutheran Church and School will celebrate the upcoming retirement of Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer on Sunday, September 14, 2025 at the 10:30 am worship service.
The special service will feature preaching by his son, Rev. Ben Ahlersmeyer, and remarks by his brother, Rev. Steve Ahlersmeyer. A reception will follow, and all are invited.
Pastor Ahlersmeyer has served in ministry for over 45 years, including 30 years as a parish pastor—15 of them at Holy Cross—and 15 years in Lutheran educational leadership. His past roles include President of Concordia University Ann Arbor and Executive Director of the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association. He has also served congregations in Ohio and Florida.
He has served on numerous boards, including the Concordia Center for the Family, The Lutheran Foundation, LCMS Communication Services, Concordia University Ann Arbor, and Bethesda Lutheran Communities. He has taught at colleges, universities, and seminaries, published homiletical studies, Bible and Sunday School materials, and essays on Christian education, and continues to preach regularly on Worship Anew. He has been inducted into the Kent (Ohio) City Schools Hall of Fame for “Academic and Career Accomplishments.”
Ahlersmeyer earned his Ph.D. in Interpersonal and Public Communication from Bowling Green State University, M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary, and B.A. from Concordia Senior College, with additional studies at Kent State, Vanderbilt, and Harvard.
He and his wife, Janet, have been married 46 years and have six children and ten grandchildren. In retirement, he plans to spend much more time with his family, serve as an intentional interim pastor, work for Lutheran Social Services, and finish his long-planned devotional book on raising autistic children, The Wonder-Full Surprise.
As is our tradition at Holy Cross for retirement, a love offering will be collected for Pastor Ahlersmeyer as a token of appreciation. Please make checks payable to Thomas Ahlersmeyer. Envelopes are available in the Welcome Center and Church Office.
