[Magdalen] Multi-denominational minister

[Georgia DuBose]

I first met John when he was 23, and working for Bruce van Wyk, a
developer in Martinsburg, WV. He sat in on my interview w/ Bruce, and
later I told my editor, "We need to do an interview with John Unger.
He is a remarkable guy." He had been at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar,
and then went to India to work with Mother Teresa for a while. He grew
up Methodist, but had a very open-minded approach to ecumenism.

He became first a delegate, then a senator, in the West Virginia
Senate, and then for quite a long time was Senate Majority leader. He
went to Gettysburg Seminary for a Lutheran theological education, but
finished up at Wesley Seminary in the district. He was ordained by
Lutheran Bishop Ralph Dunkin, with Methodist District Superintendent
Terri Rae Chattin assisting,  in 2012. I was among the priests from
Episcopal, Methodist and Lutheran congregations who laid hands on him
at his ordination.

Episcopal Bishop Michie Klusmeyer is said to want him to do a year of
Anglican Studies to get ordained in the Episcopal Church. In the
meantime, he serves the church in Harpers Ferry because we are in full
communion with the Lutherans. I think 60 Minutes did a show about him
not too long ago. He is a very good guy.

Georgia+


On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 6:42 PM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:
> Georgia, I just saw a post on FB about John Unger in Harper's Ferry, who is serving a Methodist, a Lutheran and an Episcopal congregation. Services at all three every Sunday! I assume you knew him?