The Rev. James M. Bischoff was ordained in the former ALC on 27 June 1976 in Ottawa Lake, Michigan.  He is a graduate of Capital University (B.A. in music) and received the M.Div. degree from the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary [now Trinity], both in Columbus, Ohio.

He served congregations in Michigan and in southern California.  While serving San Marcos Lutheran Church in San Marcos, California he met his partner, David Kroll, in 1995.  In August of 1998 Jim resigned his call to San Marcos Lutheran after some members decided that he should no longer be serving as a pastor.  In the fall of 1998 eighty former members of San Marcos Lutheran formed an independent Lutheran congregation, also in San Marcos, and called Jim to serve as their pastor.  He served The Church of All Saints for five and a half years.  Because he was no longer able to serve an ELCA congregation he was removed from the ELCA clergy roster after the three year period.  In 2004 Dave took a job relocation in Michigan and Jim resigned his call to The Church of All Saints.

Currently Jim and Dave are living in the Indianapolis area and Jim is trying to get into the candidacy program in the Pacifica Synod in order to be reinstated on the ELCA clergy roster.