Elmwood Chapel
Staff & Leaders

George Kohl
Interim Pastor

Like many, I grew up in a dysfunctional family, but life began to turn around for me when I came to know Christ in 1970 at the age of 16. I actually preached my first sermon at the age of 17, and sensed a call into vocational ministry soon after. I initially prepared for ministry at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. What a time of growth that was for such a new Christian! It was there that I met Martha, my best friend turned wife! After she graduated, we moved to Cortland, NY, where I served for a few years as a Youth Pastor. But the more I grew in my awareness of pastoral responsibilities, the more I realized that I needed additional training. So off I went to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. I loved that school! They were rock solid on the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, but they also allowed all the doctrinal diversity that exists within the Christian community to be freely expressed. From there, I served as a solo Pastor for over eight years in Central Islip, Long Island. By the end of my time there, Martha and I had five children, which was definitely an experience in trusting God to provide! He has always been faithful to His promises! I then became a Senior Pastor in Worcester, MA, where I served for over seventeen years. There, I experienced the best and the toughest sides of ministerial life. I then went into an Associate Pastorate in Sterling, MA for a couple of years. I was primarily responsible for the small group ministries of that church. It was during this time that I sensed a clear call into intentional interim ministry. In intentional interim ministry, I become the Acting Pastor of a church for a season, and I lead that church through five self-studies before they begin their search for their next long-term Pastor. So far, I have served as an intentional interim minister in Eastford, CT and Gardner, MA. Elmwood Chapel is my third posting in this role. Every church presents a new challenge, and I look forward to seeing how God will work in a unique way here! Martha and I live in Worcester, MA, and together we have five children and eight grandchildren. In my downtime, I love spending time with my family, and I enjoy traveling, hiking, the NFL, March Madness, short-track auto racing, movies, reading, and listening to classic rock. If you'd like to know more about my story and how I've heard God's call throughout my life, check out my introductory sermon on the church website. You are warmly invited to visit Elmwood Chapel to share in worshipping the Lord with us, to learn more about Him, and to experience what it means to be part of a loving church family!