Arriving in June 2013, the Rev. Eric E. Fink serves as Sr. Pastor at Living Springs. Pastor Eric is a 1994 graduate of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, earning his Master of Divinity degree (first honor) and receiving awards for both Hebrew studies and homiletics. Over his 19 years of ministry, he has been an active leader in our SC Synod – serving as Conference Dean, Lutheran Men in Mission pastoral advisor, Parish Leadership Institute chairperson, and ELCA Region 9 Youth Gathering coordinator, plus a board member for both Lutheran Family Services and PALM USC Lutheran-Methodist Campus ministry. He is currently in training to serve as a Stewardship Coach for the synod. Pastor Eric completed his pastoral internship at Holy Trinity Lutheran in North Easton, Massachusetts and his Clinical Pastoral Education work at Baptist Hospital in Columbia. He previously served as pastor of Grace Lutheran in Prosperity, during which time the congregation founded a Preschool/Afterschool ministry and completed a major Ministry Center building project.
Raised in the town of Faith, NC, Pastor Eric graduated from Davidson College in 1984 (first honor). After earning his Master’s degree in mathematics at the University of Virginia, he became a member of the faculty at Wake Forest University, teaching calculus and computer science, as well as serving as math theory instructor for the Summer Ventures program at Western Carolina University, sponsored by the NC School of Science and Mathematics. He and his wife, Kris, met at Lutheridge, where they both served as summer senior staff, directing outdoor wilderness programs and camp experiences for Special Needs adults. While at Wake Forest, Kris served as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach – and after subsequent years officiating college basketball, she now continues her 20-year career in education, teaching social studies in the Lexington schools. Kris is an alumna of Lenoir-Rhyne College, where she lettered in softball, basketball, and volleyball. She plays guitar and was a member of the singer-songwriting duo, South by Southeast. Over the years, she and Pastor Eric have loved – and been loved – by numerous “4-legged” children (Annie, Earle, Lewis, George, Mollie, et. al.).
In addition to God’s awesome grace, Christ’s church, his wife, and math – Pastor Eric has a passion for baseball, history, music, and Cheerwine (the soft drink). His initial 3 focus areas for our ministry at Living Springs are:
- missional visioning for our life and ministry together – in our community and beyond;
- living daily as a vital, visible presence of God’s joy, love, and grace for all people; and
- ever-deepening growth in faith as loved, grace-filled disciples of Jesus Christ!
Contact Pastor Eric: