June 9, 2004

East Lansing - The Michigan State Police is pleased to announce the appointment of Pastor Steve Eccles of Bellaire, Mich. to the Michigan State Police Chaplain Corps. Eccles is assigned to the Kalkaska Post.

The Michigan State Police Chaplain Corps began in 1932, with two chaplains, a Catholic monsignor from Flint and a Presbyterian minister from Kalamazoo. Both had previously served in World War I as military chaplains.

Today, the MSP Chaplain Corps has 34 members who perform a wide variety of pastoral duties, which include providing emotional and spiritual support for department members and their families; visiting sick or injured officers and family members; assisting with spouse and family needs; performing weddings for department members; performing funeral ceremonies; and participating in post or district meetings.

Eccles received a master of arts from Asbury Theological Seminary in Willmore, Ky. and was ordained by the Wesleyan Church in 1985. He has served churches in Midland, Three Oaks, Cheboygan and Bellaire.

From 1997-2000, Eccles served as Academic Dean and Professor of Theology at the Pilgrim Wesley Bible College in Zambia Africa. He was a member of the Three Oaks Reserve Police Department from 1987-1990 and is currently a volunteer fire fighter with the Bellaire District Fire Department.

Eccles lives in Bellaire with his wife, Lori, and their two children, Karrie and Greg.

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