He was ordained a deacon on July 8, 1996 and priest on January 18, 1997 by Bishop Larry Maze of Arkansas. He served at St Peter's Church in Conway, Arkansas from 1996 to 2001 and then as rector of St James' Church in Austin, Texas from 2001 until 2007.
Episcopacy
Rickel was elected Bishop of Olympia on May 12, 2007 and was consecrated on September 15, 2007. He announced his intent to resign the episcopate effective December 31, 2022.[4][5][6]
On April 4, 2023, he was installed as assisting bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida.[7]