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 Richard
England Peckman was born on March 5, 1949, in Nagercoil, Travancore (now
Tamilnadu), South India, the son of Rev. and Mrs. Henry Peckman.
Missionary and Mrs. Peckman were residing at Vadakangulam, Tinnevelly
District, at the time. He grew up in Illinois (Carrollton and
Bunker Hill).
Richard attended
St. John's Academy in Winfield, Kansas for his junior and senior years
of high school, graduating from St. John's Academy in 1967. He
continued his education at St. John's College in Winfield, graduating
from St. John's College in 1969. [ Active in sports:
(Academy) baseball, basketball; (College) soccer, baseball --
All-Conference, center field. Co-valedictorian (with brother,
Paul) of St. John's Academy and Junior College. Snack bar manager
at St. John’s College. Earned spending money by cutting hair
("barbering" would imply some talent). ]
Richard received the
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne,
Indiana in 1971. He took his seminary training at Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. (Played baseball for both Sr.
College and Seminary). Following a year of vicarage at Hope
Lutheran Church, Park Forest, Illinois (suburb of Chicago), he received
his Master of Divinity Degree in 1975. After a year of graduate
studies at the St. Louis Seminary, he accepted the call to be Assistant
Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, where he served
from June 27, 1976, to May, 1981. Pastor Peckman was installed as
pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Enid, Oklahoma on May 31, 1981,
serving until July, 1995. During his pastorate at Redeemer a
Family Life Center was built. The $360,000 project provided
classrooms, a multi-purpose room, church offices, kitchen and restrooms
and was dedicated March 8, 1992. He accepted the call to St.
Paul's Lutheran Church, Coffeyville, KS and was installed on July 23,
1995.
Pastor Peckman and his
twin brother, Paul, were ordained together into the Holy Ministry in
their home congregation, Zion Lutheran Church, Bunker Hill, Illinois, on
June 20, 1976. Brother Paul is Senior Pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran
Church, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. An older brother, Walter, is also a
pastor, serving in Missouri.
On June 24, 1977, Pastor
Peckman was united in marriage to Carol Ann Nelson, of Lincoln,
Nebraska. Carol was a member of Calvary, Lincoln.
Pastor Peckman served the
Oklahoma District (LCMS) in various capacities. From April, 1986
until April, 1994 he served as Enid Circuit Counselor. As a
Circuit Counselor, he also served on the Oklahoma District Board of
Directors. He was elected Oklahoma District Secretary at the 1994
District Convention, relinquishing the position upon taking a call out
of the district. In May, 2000 he was elected as Circuit Counselor for
Southeast Kansas Circuit #5 and re-elected again in 2003 and 2006.
Prior to that he served as Secretary-Treasurer of Circuit #5 Pastors
Conference. He was a pastoral delegate to the 1986, 2001, and 2007
LC-MS synodical conventions.
Pastor Peckman has been
active in both the Enid and Coffeyville Kiwanis Club. He was
honored by the Enid club as "Kiwanian of the Year" for 1986-87. He
is currently a board member and was a past President of the Coffeyville
Kiwanis Club (1999-2000). He is scheduled to become president
again in October, 2008. He has spearheaded the club’s sponsorship
of the Culpepper-Merriweather Circus (every two years) since 2000. He
also served as an organizing member, former President, and current
Vice-President of Genesis, Inc. of Coffeyville. Genesis is a
Christian social ministry organization that addresses the needs of the
poor in the Coffeyville community.
Updated 4/18/2008
Preceded in death
by father, Rev. Henry F. Peckman (+June 3, 1988);
by mother, Katherine Ida nee Hoffmann Peckman (+March 13,1990).
Baptized:
March 27, 1949
Confirmed:
Zion Lutheran Church, Bunker Hill; June 2, 1963
Confirmation Verse:
2 Corinthians 5:15
"He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto
themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
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