I had a great conversation last evening (Oct 5, 2011) with Rev. Bob Rickman about the history of St. Philip and some of the key societal and personnel changes that impacted the congregation. Rev. Rickman’s father, Rev. Victor Rickman, served St. Philip from 1941 until he died in office in 1980. When his father passed, the younger Rickman had just accepted a call from St. Philip to serve as his father’s assistant. Robert was then called as sole pastor and served St. Philip from 1980 to 1997, when he took a call to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Delevan, Wisconsin, where he still serves.
I look forward to sharing some of the fruit of this interview with the people of St. Philip (and the world via the Web broadcast) this October as we celebrate our school’s history under the sub-theme for the month, “Established 1893.”