Richard Bliese was called to serve Emmanuel in the fall of 2018, after serving our congregation for two years as a consultant for the Kern Family Foundation from Waukesha, WI.  Pastor Rick came to Emmanuel with experience as a missionary for five years in Zaire (now the Congo) and six years Germany.  After completing his PH.D. on the life and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he went on to teach theology and mission at our ELCA seminary in Chicago (LSTC) while leading a small congregation at night (St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Glenwood, IL).  He was called to lead Luther Seminary in 2003, first as Academic Dean, then as President. After ten years at Luther Seminary,  Pastor Rick worked for two foundations, the Lilly Foundation as a consultant for theological seminaries in the United States and Canada ( In Trust Seminary for Theological Education in Wilmington, DE) and the Kern Family Foundation (WI)  within the area of “Faith, Work and Economics.”  It is within this work for the Kern Family Foundation that Pastor Rick re-engaged with the vision and work of Emmanuel Lutheran Church here in Naples.

 Pastor Rick was married to Nina.  They have two children, Aaron (lives in Philadelphia) and Stephanie (lives in Chicago).  They also have two grandchildren, Bennett and James.