Meet The Pastor
The Reverend Dr. Marty Kuchma
Marty has been pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ since July, 2005. His religious journey began with a thorough immersion in Roman Catholicism (including sixteen years of Catholic school) and features a time of “sanctuary” with the Unitarian Universalists, as well as meaningful involvement with Presbyterian and United Methodist congregations along the way. Finally, he says with gratitude, he discovered his home in the United Church of Christ while attending Andover Newton Theological School where he received a Master of Divinity degree.
He received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary where he is a core adjunct professor in the doctoral program and teaches other courses from time to time. His areas of academic focus include listening as an act of love, ethnographic methodology, sacred conversation, and helping churches become organizationally nimble and creative in response to emerging changes, challenges, and choices. He continues to lead training and provide consultation in various settings relative to each of those areas of interest.
Rev. Dr. Marty KuchmaPrior to ordination, Marty was a residential counselor, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, program administrator, and program/systems consultant for over two decades, specializing in work with children, youth and families. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Saint Vincent College and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He currently serves as social work supervisor and occasional adjunct lecturer in the McDaniel College Social Work Department.
Marty is active in the wider church and community. He is a past president of the Catoctin Association Council (two years), the Westminster Ecumenical Ministerium (two years), and the Carroll County InterFaith Council (two years). For over ten years, he has been a member of the Carroll County Public Schools Committee on Education That is Multicultural. He is a founding and ongoing member of the Westminster/Carroll County Chapter of PFLAG and an active member of Carroll Citizens for Racial Equality. And he is the 2017 Recipient of the Carroll County Human Relations Commission Award.
Marty’s current focus is on the Homeless Life Story Collection Project which has been incorporated into community efforts to increase awareness of and involvement with homelessness through the Carroll County Circle of Caring Homelessness Board.
Marty’s book is available at:
http://www.amazon.com/Church-Nimble-Organizational-Creativity-Congregations/dp/0692028404