Pastor John Richards was born and reared in Los Angeles, California, where he enjoyed the many benefits of growing up, the greatest being his high school youth group where he came to faith in Jesus Christ. But in spite of these many benefits, he had always longed for greener pastures. Instead of concrete and palm trees, John has preferred the lush green evergreens as found in the coastal Pacific Northwest.

 

After graduating high school, John joined the Army hoping to be stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. His request for this duty station was not honored and instead he was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where God provided him the blessings of Christian fellowship and a wealth of biblical material that helped him grow as a disciple.

 

After leaving active duty, John decided to remain in the Southeast and attend a Christian College in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  This providentially led to meeting his lovely wife, Kathy, who was originally from the Northwest.

 

Even though John greatly enjoyed the benefits of living in Chattanooga, especially the tremendous influence of Christianity that produced a wealth of biblical teaching and strong disciples, he still longed to one day live in the Northwest.

 

John's first job in the civilian market was in the consumer electronics repair industry.  This job took him as far north as Nashua, New Hampshire, and as far south as Jacksonville, Florida.

 

His second career as a pastor has led him to serve churches in Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi.

 

John’s military service did not end at his completion of three years active duty, but continued on for 36 more years in the Reserve Component where he served for 23 years as an Enlisted Soldier, and for 13 years as a Chaplain.  His Stateside assignments took him as far north as Fort Devens, Massachusetts, as far south as Camp Blanding, Florida, and as far west as Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. His overseas assignments included Germany, Panama, and the Middle East. But in all these years, he was never sent to his dream assignment at Fort Lewis.

 

And now, after all these years, God has honored this desire to live in the Northwest. 

John and Kathy are extremely grateful to Dupont Presbyterian Church for giving them the opportunity to serve this wonderful church and beautiful community. They are very excited to enter into the process of making disciples in the context of historic Christianity alongside a church that so deeply values Christ-centered worship, loving fellowship, and biblical teaching and preaching.