Assistant Minister at the UU Church of Rockville, MD
Reverend Rebekah Montgomery is a distinguished military Chaplain, UU minister, licensed professional counselor and a mental health provider with over 15 years of professional experience in pastoral services, counseling, grief management, and conflict resolution.
Montgomery serves as a Family Life Chaplain and was the Strong Bonds Project Manager for the US Army Reserve. She was responsible for overseeing the strategic management, guidance, and standards for the US Army Reserve Strong Bonds program, a relationship skills and family wellness program. She has served as a Strong Bonds Project Manager since 2008. She previously served as a Senior Program Analyst for the US Army Office of the Chief of Chaplains, a Deployment Support Chaplain at the Maryland Army National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters, and a US Army Chaplain during Operation Enduring Freedom. During her 18-month tour in Afghanistan, she provided pastoral counseling support to more than 3,000 soldiers and traveled to 38 Forward Operating Bases to support soldiers in remote areas.
Montgomery received a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service for her service as a US Army Chaplain in Afghanistan. The Military Chaplain’s Association named Montgomery ‘Chaplain of the Year’ in 2009.
Montgomery has also served in ministerial roles in several of her local congregations and congregations in the wider area. In October 2015, she begins her service as the Assistant Minister at the UU Church of Rockville, MD—her first parish based ministry for an extended period of service. She served this summer as the Summer Ministry at the UU Church of Arlington, VA for the second consecutive summer. Montgomery also served as an interim minister for Mount Vernon UU Church in Alexandria, VA, Accotick UU Church, VA, and UU Church of Sterling, VA. In 2014, Montgomery preached the Service of the Living Tradition at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
In addition to her roles of US Army Chaplain and staff officer, as well as UU minister, Montgomery is a Licensed Professional Counselor, with three units of Clinical Pastoral Education in addition to her M.Div. and ministerial credentials. She received her M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University, her M.Div. in Pastoral Counseling from Union Theological Seminary, and her B.A. in Religious Studies from Macalester College.
Outside of her professional life, Montgomery is an enthusiastic gym rat, trains in karate and yoga, and enjoys a quiet life at home with her two children Genevieve and Thane.
