St. Luke's Lutheran Church Pastor Retires

After 19 years as Senior Pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Farmingdale, The Reverend Rodney L. Eberhardt has retired. Pastor Eberhardt was born in Deshler Nebraska and studied at St. John’s Junior College in Winfield Kansas. There he met his wife Mitzi Cook. Pastor then studied at the Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and The Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He was ordained to the Holy Ministry on January 6, 1979. His first posting was as Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Amherst New York where he served for 18 years. In December of 1997 he was called as pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Farmingdale. In his 19 years he was involved in many inter-generation activities, and oversaw a major renovation of the sanctuary, education wing and the restoration of St. Luke’s stained glass windows. He was instrumental in the expansion of the campus with the purchase of the adjacent Chase Bank Building which is now called St. Luke’s Parish Activities Center (PAC).

For 16 years Pastor has also been the Dean of The Society of the Holy Trinity. He served for 18 years on the Board of Directors of the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau. He helped with the development of and served on the board of the Farmingdale Adult Day Care Center.

Hundreds of people attended Pastor’s last service on October 23. Helping him celebrate were the Pastors and choirs of St. Killian’s, St. Thomas Episcopal and the Farmingdale Methodist Church. Following the service a gala dinner was held in the PAC center where he was awarded certificates of appreciation by Mayor Ekstrand of Farmingdale and State assemblyman Saladino. A grateful congregation named him as Pastor Emeritus and raised a plaque in his honor. Pastor Eberhardt and his wife will be retiring to their home outside of Atlanta Georgia. We all wish him a wonderful retirement and a well deserved rest.