The Rev. Philip Charles McLain was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the fourth of five children of C. Bruce and
Helen McLain (both now with their Lord in paradise).
In 1960 he moved with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
He began his college education at the community college there, then completed his
undergrad work at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a major in Business Administration.
Following his graduation in 1972, Phil joined his father's real estate firm as a Realtor/Associate, later becoming Realtor of the firm when his father retired in 1977. During these years he also completed six years of service in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.
Phil entered Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne, in 1981. As a seminarian, he was assigned for his year of vicarage internship to St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Hickory, North Carolina, where he served from March 1983 to March 1984. Phil graduated from Concordia Seminary October 20, 1984, and was ordained into the Holy Ministry on December 30, 1984, at First Lutheran Church in Chattanooga where he was baptized. On January 6, 1985, Phil was installed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hancock, Maryland, where he served until March of 1989. In February, 1986, Phil was commissioned as a chaplain into the United States Naval Reserves. He served both the Navy and Marine Corps as a reserve chaplain until his retirement in January of 2000. On March 12, 1989, Phil was installed as Pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he served until now. On January 9, 2005, Phil was installed as Pastor at Our Savior Lutheran, Nashville, Tennessee.
Phil is married to Margi Richter, a graduate of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota, and a teacher at Our Savior Lutheran Academy. Their marriage has been blessed with four daughters and one grand-daughter: Arianna, working on her medical degree, is married to David Shirk and have a daughter, Madeline; Allison, a high school teacher, is married to "Chip" Houston; Ashley attends Elon University and is majoring in the elementary education program; and Anna attends Concordia Mequon in the nursing program.
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