Rev. Stephen Gary Marsh

Rev. Stephen Gary Marsh is the Assistant to the Bishop for African American Ministries and Justice Concerns in the Southeast Michigan Synod, ELCA.   

Rev. Marsh received his BA from Northwestern Univ., his MDiv  from Trinity Lutheran Seminary and attended Makumira Theological College in Arusha, Tanzania.  He was ordained in 1983 and has served pastorates in NY and IL.  He was Vice President of the African American Lutheran Association, a member of the Synod Council, Metro NY Synod and a member of the Worship Committee, Metro Chicago Synod.

Rev. Marsh’s ecumenical activities include The Black Theology Project, The Hampton Ministers Conference, the Industrial Areas Foundation and the Gamaliel Network. Rev. Marsh was the principal writer for “Rooted in the Gospel: An African-American Spiritual Formation Experience,” published by the ELCA in 1993.

He is the father of one daughter, Taylor Antoinette, and is an avid jazz and Gospel enthusiast.

Dr. Stephen R. Treat

Stephen Treat, LMFT, is Director and CEO, of the Council for Relationships. He received his doctorate in Pastoral Counseling from the Andover Newton Theological Seminary in 1976 and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.  He completed post-doctoral work in the Human Sexuality Department of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and the Marriage and Family Therapy Training Program at  Council for Relationships in 1981. He is licensed to practice marriage and family therapy in the state of Pennsylvania. 

In addition to being an instructor in Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Jefferson Medical College, and an Adjunct Professor at Widener University, he is a Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counseling, a member of the American Family Therapy Association, and an Associate of the Institute for Family Enterprising at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College, MA.

Dr. Treat has co-authored two books, Pastoral Marital Therapy and Couples in Treatment:  Techniques and Approaches for Effective Practice.  In addition, he has published book chapters and articles on process and content of marital and family therapy.  Dr. Treat has been the keynote speaker at many conferences on topics including fathers and sons, marital therapy, and spirituality.

Rev. Steven McKinley

Rev. Steve McKinley was an ELCA parish pastor for 38 years, serving  in CT, MA and MN.  Since retiring  he has served as a Deployed Associate for the Contextual Leadership Initiative of the Western Mission Cluster, working with placement and oversight of interns from Pacific Lutheran and Luther Theological Seminaries.  For 26 years he was the author of “Pastor Loci” in Lutheran Partners, and has authored  books and  magazine articles.  He served on the Board of Directors of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, chairing the Board for four years.  He and his wife Pat recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.  They are the parents of three adult children, the parents-in-law of one, and the grandparents of the world's most perfect two-year-old, Luke Isaac.