Rev. James L. Fogle

Pastor Fogle was born and raised in Marion, Ohio. He attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio followed by employment in a variety of settings, including: prison guard, hospital registration supervisor, business manager, at a drug and addiction recovery center, and the state of Ohio.

While working at Grant Medical Center in Columbus he was mentored by the hospital chaplain. It was there that he first contemplated a call to hospital chaplain ministry. He finished his undergraduate degree at Ohio Dominican University, and immediately began studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus. He spent his internship year at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Delaware, Ohio, where he determined he felt called to parish ministry rather than hospital chaplaincy.

Pastor Fogle’s first call was to Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Marquette, Michigan. In addition to his parish, he was involved in many activities, including president of the Marquette Ecumenical Clergy Council, instructor for the Northern Great Lakes Synod Lay School for Mission, chairperson of the Synod Worship Committee, on the board of Northern Michigan University’s Lutheran Campus Ministry, member of the Marquette Arts and Culture Commission and as an on-call hospital chaplain.

While in Marquette, he assisted in the development of a national ELCA support system for “after-pastors” (pastors in parishes where the previous pastor was removed for inappropriate activities). Pastor Fogle participated in the first two After-Pastor conferences, giving the opening speech, writing and leading the closing worship service, and serving as a chaplain at his second conference.

Pastor Fogle was called to the Southeast Michigan Synod in March 2003, serving as a called pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Swartz Creek, Michigan and as an intentional interim pastor at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Grand Blanc, Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Marysville, and at Christ the King in Livonia. While living in the Flint area, his local and cluster involvement has included serving as president of the local Kiwanis, vice-president of the Greater Flint Council of Churches, and has been an on-call chaplain at Hurley Medical Center. He has also served as dean of the Flint Cluster, the synod Worship Committee and the Synod Council on which he currently serves. After serving as Christ the King’s interim pastor for one-and-a half years, Pastor Fogle was called to serve Christ the King as its long-term pastor on January 13, 2008.

Pastor Fogle is married to the former Heather Burke. Heather is a Dental Hygienist by profession and also has a Master’s Degree in Dental Public Health Administration. They and their dog named Melody live in Livonia.

Heather Fogle Pastor Fogle Melody Fogle