Our Ministers

Rev. Kurt Hohmann has considered himself a Heathen for at least a couple of decades, and Pagan for even longer. It seems appropriate that the roots of both of those words means “country-dweller,” as he’s most at home in nature, among the trees and multitude of plants growing in the garden. In terms of spiritual belief and practice, Kurt’s worldview is both polytheistic (multiple gods and goddesses) and pantheistic (divinity is inseparable from Nature). His religious experiences extend from his Lutheran upbringing through such diverse paths as Wicca, Celtic Druidry, core shamanism, and Voodoo. He was ordained by the Pagan Church of the Greenwood 20+ years ago, later becoming an officer of that church, and more recently by the Heathen organization The Troth, where he serves as both clergy and the steward for upstate NY. Locally, in addition to his clergy work at First Universalist, he’s an active member of Úthellingu Kindred, and also volunteers with Pagan Pride. In his spare time, he taps an alternate side of his psyche to write dark fiction (and narrates those tales on his podcast), paddles his kayak along local streams, and produces an abundance of sawdust in the workshop.

Before becoming a minister, Rev. Andrea Abbott spent much of her career as a librarian. She was the full time minister at 1st U for many years. She retired from full time ministry and is now a chaplain at a hospital. She holds Service at 1st U once per month and on special occasions.

Rev. Bud Adams was born and raised in a blue collar family in Royersford, a town in the Valley Forge area of PA. He earned a BS in Computer and Information Science from The Ohio State University in 1972 and was commissioned as a Field Artillery officer in the US Army. Upon leaving military service, Bud embarked on a 23-year career as a software engineer.

During the end of his career, Bud became a part-time seminary student. In May, 2001 he received his MDiv degree from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kansas. A week later, on June 2, he became married with Rev. Tanya Atwood-Adams, who simultaneously received her MDiv from Yale Divinity School. His ordination is recognized by the American Baptist Churches USA.

Bud served as Pastor in Topeka, Kansas for two years and, for 11 years, at the First Baptist Church of Central Square. He then served as a counselor at Harbor Lights Chemical Dependency Services in Mexico, NY with his primary clients being alcohol and drug addicted men labeled as being antisocial. He and his wife, Rev. Tanya Atwood-Adams, now reside in Fayetteville.