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 Eric Rieger
became the Senior Pastor for Middlebrook Pike
UMC in June 2007. While Eric is new to MPUMC, he
is not new to Knoxville. He grew up in North
Knox County and graduated from Powell High
School. He attended East Tennessee State
University; upon graduation, he immediately
began seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity
School in Bannockburn/Deerfield, Illinois (a
far-north suburb of Chicago). After seminary,
Eric worked as a campus minister and ran a
coffee house.
Eric returned to
graduate school and earned a degree in
counseling psychology and has worked as a family
coordinator in a treatment center, counseled
men, court-ordered, for Domestic Violence,
taught psychology at Walter's State Community
College as an adjunct professor, and ran a
private counseling practice.
Eric came into
the United Methodist Church through a friendship
and a working relationship with Pastor Bruce
Marston at Christ UMC in Halls; yet, Eric's
roots are Methodist—he was baptized as an infant
at Powell UMC and worked as a camp counselor for
two summers at Wesley Woods.
Eric enjoys the outdoors: loves to backpack, fly
fish, rock climb (been a very long time), go
spelunking, camp, snorkel, and travel (wants
much more of this). He also loves to read, drink
good coffee with good conversation, preach,
share the gospel, teach, and serve ("hands-on").
Eric joyfully states that Christ is the center
of his life.
Eric is married
to Marion Tant-Rieger, a clinical social worker
(keeps Eric sane). She is Eric's best friend.
Eric says Marion is a tremendous partner in
ministry. Eric and Marion have five adult
children: Matt, a missionary in Sweden, Vicky
(married to Chris Price) and Jeannie, identical
twins—both graduates from Emory and Henry,
Philip, a body-builder and student, and Shannon,
a senior at the University of Tennessee.
You can e-mail Eric at
erieger@middlebrookpike.com.
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