WHO WE ARE

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The Honorable Rev. Dr. John Unger is a social entrepreneur who committed his life to being an adaptive, servant-leader by bringing together theology and public life. Unger worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India during the monsoons and riots in 1990-91.  He also provided relief for Kurdish refugees in southern Turkey and northern Iraq following the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and later provided direct relief and recovery assistance to orphanages, children’s hospitals, senior care homes and homes for the mentally disabled in Iraq during the second war in 2003.  Unger is currently a pastor/priest of the three historic Harpers Ferry Civil War churches that makes this the first ministry in the nation where a pastor is serving three different congregations of three different denominations (Lutheran, United Methodist, and Episcopal) at the same time. 

Also, Unger served as West Virginia state senator for 22 years where he worked to make West Virginia one of the first states in the nation to have universal early childhood education.  He continues to combat child poverty and hunger with the Feed to Achieve Act and fight to protect our water and environment through the Water Resource Protection Act and the Farmland Protection Act. After the West Virginia Floods of 2016, he saw up close the tragic destruction the Opioid Epidemic is having on Appalachian communities.  Working with community leaders throughout the region, he co-founded Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE) that has trained over 4,500 recovery coaches and peer recovery support specialists who works in their communities to address trauma and addiction.

Unger is a Rhodes Scholar who graduated from West Virginia University (WVU) with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Liberal Arts / Biology, Oxford University with a BA/MA (Oxon) in Philosophy, Politics and of Economics and Wesley Theological Seminary (along with Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg) with the M.Div (Honors) and D.Min. in Leadership Excellence. He is married to and enjoys joint ministry with the beautiful Episcopal Priest Rev. Marti Steiner Unger. 

 Rev. Marti Steiner Unger is an Episcopal priest-in-charge serving Harriet Chapel in Thurmont, MD. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Glenville State University, and her theological studies certificate from Seminary of the Southwest through the  Iona Collaborative. She is also co-founder of the 501c3 non-profit Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE) which  trains and connects Recovery/Life Coaches to those on their path to betterment through volunteerism (with over 2,700 volunteers).

 Rev. Marti is also a Recovery Coach Professional and facilitator, having personally trained over 2,500 coaches since 2018.  She is the recipient of the 2016 'Bishop Shell Award' for her flood relief efforts during the devastating floods in southern West Virginia. She is also an author and film director and recipient of the 2017 California Mountain Film Festival Winner for Feature Film for her independent film "Supersedure."

In addition to enjoying any opportunity for joint ministry with and being married to the Honorable Rev. Dr. John R. Unger II, she the caregiver of 80,000 honeybees and two ornery dogs.  

Rev. Marti is passionate about ecumenically helping faith communities grow closer to Jesus and sharing our belief in a loving, life-giving God. “It is a real joy and a true blessing to be surrounded by so many people reflecting the love and light of Jesus and who continue to encourage others in their faith journey as we learn how to walk in Love together! 

God is good, all the time!”