Markus leads a rally in song on Church Street in Montclair
Markus shares his guitar with a young congregant after worship
Markus was trained as a classical pianist in Germany before studying jazz on a scholarship at Berklee College of Music. In addition, he earned a Master’s degree in choral conducting from the Boston Conservatory. He also completed the three-year Music Leadership Certification program administered by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in collaboration with the Association of Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (AUUMM).
Markus has conducted big bands, vocal ensembles, orchestras, rock groups, jazz combos, and over 80 musical theater productions, including a national tour of Irving Berlin’s I Love A Piano. He has also lived in four countries, figured out the meaning of life, played keytar in a rock group while dressed in a neon pink jumpsuit, co-founded an opera company, and released two CDs of his piano compositions; his music has been featured on nationally syndicated German network radio and on the album le classique abstrait, published worldwide by Universal Music.
Markus has been serving the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair since 2012. He believes in the power of communal singing, dismantling white supremacy, and smashing the patriarchy.
Sermons
Meta-Noia: Trust the Power of Love to Change Lives
March 23, 2025"Meta-Noia: Trust the Power of Love to Change Lives" — led by the Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister. Metanoia is a Greek word that is translated in the Bible as 'repent' and sometimes 'convert.' Its richness is often lost in English. Metanoia refers to an experience so strong that it literally transforms our point of view, causing us to turn with this new experience to see ourselves, the divine, and the world itself, differently. Join us as we explore what Metanoia can mean for Unitarian Universalists, and for you.
Covenant as a Transformational Tool: How Covenant Builds Trust
March 16, 2025"Covenant as a Transformational Tool: How Covenant Builds Trust" — led by the Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister and the Rev. Charles Loflin, sabbatical minister. In this service, Rev. Scott and Rev. Charles continue a sermon series on “Trust.” Together they examine how trusting our covenant - those agreements and procedures we have composed for building a beloved community together - can liberate our best selves and fortify us during uncertain times.
Story
March 9, 2025"Story" — led by the Rev. Dr. Jan Carlsson-Bull. In this service the Rev. Jan asks, "Whose story am I living? Whose story are you living? Whose story are we living? What story can we trust?"