Rev. Dr. Rinda G. Rogers

It is announced that The Rev. Dr. Rinda G. Rogers, a retired pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, passed away on April 8, 2018 at age 83 in Audubon, Pa. Pastor Rogers is survived by her loving husband of 60 years (Robert); three sons and their spouses and partners (Charles and Linda; John and Jill; and Mark and Reonel); an adult granddaughter and her spouse (Morgan and Matt); a younger adult granddaughter (Madeline); and a sister and her family (Cherry, Ron, Jennifer and David). Pastor Rogers, who was variously addressed as Pastor Rinda, Reverend Rinda, Sugar Plum, Mom, Mother, Hey Sister, Rini, Aunt Rinda, Mrs. Rogers or simply Rinda, directly or subtly, in her ministry and personal relationships, helped others to recognize and answer the questions “who am I” and “who am I to become”. She was appreciated for her compassion, interest in others’ life stories, intellectual curiosity, sense of humor and warmth. She had a life-long interest in all things weather-related, taking special delight in the “leading edge of cooler air”. She was born in Oak Park, Illinois, raised in Norfolk, Virginia and resided for many years in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania. In her final stages of life, she enjoyed the spiritual rewards of 60 years of loving marriage and parenthood, and utter joy in observing her granddaughters mature into adult women exercising complete sovereignty over their lives. She also formed some of her most meaningful friendships while residing at Shannondell at Valley Forge. Pastor Rogers earned degrees as a Bachelor of Science at the College of William and Mary (Biology) in 1956 and as a Master of Divinity (Hoh Scholar) and Doctor of Divinity (Ministry/Pastoral Care) at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1978 and 1988. Over the course of her professional career, Pastor Rogers held ministerial and professional appointments as the director of social services for the migration/refugee program of Lutheran Children and Family Service; associate and acting pastor at Reformation Lutheran Church (Media, Pa.); and, for many years, resident chaplain at Artman Lutheran Home (Ambler, Pa.). She was involved with numerous boards, committees, societies and institutes focusing on training or improvements in pastoral care, homiletics, public policy and dialogue between different faiths and denominations. She wrote the final chapter in the book “Counseling and the Human Predicament”. A memorial service, brief committal rite and reception will be held starting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 14, at Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pa. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to the Muhlenberg College Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (Audubon, Pa.) Washington Memorial Chapel (Valley Forge, Pa.) or Holisticare Hospice (Berwyn, Pa.).