Clergy couples mix work, faith and family

The Rev. Kathryn Adams didn’t have any divine guidance when it came to meeting someone. She did what so many others do — turned to friends.

That friend, also a minister, fixed her up with the Rev. Russ Adams. They were married in May 1988.

“I never thought of it as dating a minister. I was dating a woman,” the Rev. Mr. Adams said. “It wasn’t a deterrent to our relationship. We were comfortable with each other and comfortable in our profession.”

It was similar for the Revs. Connie and Timothy Mentzer, who will mark their 13th anniversary in September. They were introduced by mutual friends. “We never thought it was unusual because we knew other clergy couples,” the Rev. Mrs. Mentzer said.

Marriage in 1978 came before commitment to the ministry for the Revs. Peggy and Ash Welch, who were missionaries from 1985-88 in India. He answered the ministerial call in 1988, followed in 1993 by his wife. Both are graduates of Methodist Theological Seminary, Delaware, Ohio.

For the complete story on other married clergy, see Sunday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.