Installation of The Rev. Dr. J. Richard Eckert

The Reverend Doctor J. Richard Eckert was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on June 23, 1974. Pastor Eckert served as Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Penbrook, PA until 1992.  He then served as Pastor of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Middletown, Pennsylvania. until his retirement in October  2021. During these years, he also provided leadership beyond the local congregation, serving as Dean of the Harrisburg Conference and completing four three-year terms on the Synod Council.   Following his retirement, Pastor Eckert continued to serve the church. From January 2023, through May 2025, he was honored to serve as Interim Pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Liverpool, Pennsylvania. Throughout his pastoral ministry, Pastor Eckert has been deeply committed to the study and practice of spiritual formation. He earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg on May 16, 1986. His three-year program focused on the role of spiritual formation in the art of preaching.  He continued his formation at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, earning certificates in Spiritual Direction, Group Spiritual Direction, Contemplative Leadership, and Embracing the Call of the Holy Spirit. In June 2023, he completed a two-year program at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, in Hickory, North Carolina receiving certification as a Spiritual Director. In each congregation he has served, Pastor Eckert has offered individual Spiritual Direction, Group Spiritual Direction, and Contemplative Worship services, nurturing deeper spiritual growth within the body of Christ.