The Rev. Peter Nickel was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Robert and Dorothy (nee Kutsche) Nickel. He was baptized at Ephratha Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. He attended St. John’s Lutheran School in Glendale, Wisconsin and then Milwaukee Lutheran High School. Pastor Nickel attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska (now Concordia University). Upon graduation he accepted a call to be teacher of grades 7 & 8 at Nativity Lutheran School in Detroit, Michigan. In addition to his teaching responsibilities he coached boys’ sports, directed the church choir, and served as leader of the Nativity youth group.
After 5 very enjoyable and memorable years at Nativity, Pastor Nickel enrolled at Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Upon completion of his studies, he was assigned a vicarage at Huntington Woods Lutheran Church in Huntington Woods, Michigan. Following his vicarage Pastor Nickel was ordained and installed at Huntington Woods Lutheran Church where he served for more than 37 years.
Early in his ministry at Huntington Woods, Pastor Nickel met the love of his life, Donna Carlson. They were married at Huntington Woods Lutheran and have been blessed with two sons, Jeff and Craig, a dear daughter-in-law, Brandy, and two grandsons, Lewis and Daniel. In addition to serving the Huntington Woods congregation, Pastor Nickel also served as an L.W.M.L. Zone Counselor, a member of the Lutheran Center Association Board, as Birmingham Circuit Counselor for many years, as a member and President of the Lutheran High School Association Board, for many years as a member of the District Convention Committee, and as a member of the Synodical Convention Floor Committee on Elections. He and Donna served together as P.A.L.S facilitators, helping beginning Pastors and their wives transition from the seminary to the parish. Pastor Nickel is also a Michigan State Police Chaplain assigned as Post Chaplain to the Metro North Post and also the President of the Michigan State Police Chaplain Corp Executive Board.
Pastor Nickel is humbly grateful that God has called him into His service and has blessed him with countless opportunities to serve Him and His people. He now considers it a high honor to continue in ministry, even in retirement, as an Assisting Pastor at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit.