Rich grew up close to Lake Erie and attended LaPointe United Methodist Church in Oak Harbor, OH as a child.  Here he was exposed to the love and acceptance of Christ and made a commitment to God.  He felt the call to ministry at 16 years old and served as the Lay Leader of his home church at that young age until he graduated from Port Clinton High School.  Within a year he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served four years as a crew chief on CH-53E helicopters.  Wanting to continue his education, he left the Marines and found work as the branch manager of an insulation contracting company in Lima, OH.  He completed his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University's Lima branch.  While in Lima he met his wife Heather (Kunkleman), and became involved with High Street United Methodist Church and Teens For Christ (Lima).  All of this stirred that old call to ministry.   He was appointed to Cairo UMC in 2002 and served there through the completion of a Master's of Divinity Degree from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, OH in 2006.  After graduation, Rockport UMC was added to his responsibilities and he has served both with passion for Christ and a zeal for missions.  Rich and Heather have two young girls, Cora (8) and Abby (6).  He was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2010.

You can contact Pastor Rich directly through his email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling the church office.