Obituary of Rodney E. Reinhart

Fr. Reinhart holds a degree in English and secondary education from Oakland University in Rochester Michigan. He studied Theology and Church History at Colgate Rochester, Bexley Hall-Crozer, the seminary consortium in Rochester New York. After graduating with a Master’s of Divinity (M. Div.) in 1975, Fr. Reinhart did further graduate work at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and at Wayne State University in Detroit. Fr. Reinhart was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church after a successful career teaching high school in Detroit. Fr. Reinhart was ordained as a deacon at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church in Detroit, in 1983. A year later, he was ordained as priest at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on the campus of Detroit’s Wayne State University. While at St. Andrew’s Fr. Reinhart established programs to care for Vietnam veterans, university students and for people with HIV/AIDS. For much of his career in Detroit, Fr. Reinhart specialized in Interim and Transitional ministries. Working in close coordination with the Bishop of Michigan, Fr. Reinhart helped troubled parishes transition through times of conflict and change. During that time, Fr. Reinhart vas very concerned about the tragedy of religious prejudice and war. In 1999, he established the World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation… the first interfaith Holy Day dedicated to overcoming religious and racial war. With the support of the Rev. Edward Mullins and Christ Church Cranbrook, the World Sabbath became Michigan’s most important interfaith event. It continues to be a vital force in Michigan to this day. Since the Bishop of Chicago invited Fr. Reinhart to come to Illinois in 2004, Fr. Reinhart has had a storied career as Rector of St. Clement’s Church in Harvey and St. Joseph/Aidan’s in Blue Island. At St. Clement’s Church, Fr. Reinhart oversees an effective anti-hunger pantry and community garden program that feeds as many as three hundred impoverished families every month. He also leads an effective evangelistic and preaching program that reaches out to the poor and needy people of the south suburbs. At St. Joseph and St. Aidan’s, Fr. Reinhart leads evangelistic program to heal the environment and make peace in the world. Under his leadership, St. Joseph and St. Aidan’s has become a great center for helping homeless veterans survive through the winter. In December, we delivered five truckloads of donated winter survival gear to the homeless veterans programs at VA hospitals in Greater Chicago. Fr. Reinhart has always been deeply concerned about the ways that women, gays and racial minorities are abused and mistreated in American society, as the leader of Integrity Chicago, and as the host of Faith on the Front Line on WBGX AM1570, Fr. Reinhart has often taken the message of inclusion and equality out to the world. With his long career of preaching the Gospel, caring for people and changing the world, Fr. Reinhart sees his whole ministry as a matter of helping people make connections between their faith and their everyday lives. He sees this as especially true as people seek God in the midst of the struggles, injustice, changes and transitions they experience. Fr. Rod and his spouse, Alan Engle live in Blue Island. He is the son of Pauline nee Renshaw and the late Ralph E. Reinhart. Rodney is the brother of Tom Reinhart, Gary Reinhart, MarySue Reinhart and the late Ralph Reinhart Jr. Funeral services and interment will be celebrated in Waterford Michigan. Please visit the website of Coats Funeral Home, Waterford, MI for further details. If you so wish, you may donate to your favorite charity in Rodney's memory. A memorial service will be held in Illinois at a later date. Please continue to check our website for further information. Thank you.