My family has been a part of the protestant faith since the Thirty Years War in Germany granted us the right to do so in 1648.

My 6th and 7th great-grandfathers Henry and Martin Boehm founded what would eventually become the United Methodist Church. The theological teachings of the United Methodist Church are grounded most prominently in an understanding that faith is a pursuit for every man and woman. Methodism is found so prominently in central Pennsylvania and other working-class communities because the early leaders of the church decided to leave the contemporarily restrictive walls of the church to preach to common folk in coal mines, factories, and farmer’s fields. The Methodist faith continues to be distinguished in theology for its continued devotion to the principles of Matthew. The Methodist faith commands myself and others to serve all people, regardless of their faith, their background, or their income. I live and work every day through the lens of Methodism, and that will never change.