The Rev. Jeff Markay has a BA and M.Div. from Drew University. He has studied and practiced Christian disciplines in diverse settings including congregational ministry, monastic community, and spiritual direction for the past 24 years. He has enjoyed being in pastoral ministry with the United Methodist Churches in Morristown, Springfield, Caldwell, and Chatham, New Jersey since 1989.
During his ministry he has been called to help people of different cultures to delight in what God is doing in different countries and ministry settings. He has led groups of youth, young adults and seminarians to the Community of Taize, France. He has led delegations of United Methodists from NJ to the Crimea to help a United Methodist Church in Kerch, Ukraine. He has done refugee relief work in Macedonia during the Kosovar Refugee Crisis by doing needs assessment in the refugee camps and training seminars for mental health for refugee aid workers. He was the Consultant for the General Board of Global Ministries supporting United Methodist Churches and ministries in Hungary. He has served as the United Methodist Liaison at Drew University Theological School where he helped seminarians in the discernment and ordination process. He has been actively involved in building bridges in ecumenical and interfaith circles, and delights in any opportunity to find common ground with people of other faith traditions.
He is happily married to the Rev. Julie Yarborough, Associate Pastor at Christ Church in Summit. They are the grateful parents of Matthew (age 14) and Elizabeth (age 10). His greatest joy is to sit around the family table, catch up, laugh, tell stories and do the dishes together. If there is any spare time, he enjoys playing tennis, chucking a Frisbee, going to whatever sporting event is in season, or eating good Middle Eastern food.
He began a new appointment in July, 2013 as the Senior Pastor in the Chatham UMC. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve God and the community here in Chatham. Chatham UMC has a rich heritage of faithfulness, building inclusive community, and sharing compassion with all people. Our congregation has witnessed to the love of God for all people, and I am glad to be a part of what God is doing in our midst. I look forward to being in ministry together as we seek to grow in our love of God, our care for each other and people in need, and our collective desire to serve the common good as followers of Jesus.”