Gary Kunz

A native of Illinois, Gary Kunz earned his B.S. in chemistry at the University of Illinois, a Master of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph. D. in biochemistry from the University of Louisville.  

Gary and his wife, Margarett, arrived in Bethesda in 1979 where he did a post-doc and she worked as a librarian at the National Institutes of Health. Subsequently, Gary worked for a biotechnology company in Gaithersburg, MD in new product development, and then moved to the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office for the next 30 years where he worked as a supervisory patent examiner in the areas of organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Gary and Margarett joined Bethesda First Baptist Church which, at the time, was known as one of the most liberal Baptist churches in the metro area. BFBC was aligned with the American Baptist Convention, a denomination characterized by its openness and inclusiveness. We were impressed with the church members, many of whom were servant leaders in their professions. This warm and accepting community respected everyone’s spiritual journeys despite theological differences.  People were encouraged to ask questions about their faith and to perform outreach in the Bethesda community, including a weekday food program for the homeless. 

In 2004, BFBC closed and then restarted as a multi-denominational contemporary Church in Bethesda (CiB).  Many of the traditions of BFBC—welcoming, warmth, diversity, and inclusiveness -- continue in the CiB congregation. Everyone is welcomed and respected at CiB, regardless where you are in your faith journey. 

Congregational participation in the service adds to the warmth and rich diversity of the worship experience.  Ryan’s sermons touch both the head and the heart each Sunday and provide direction for  living a life in Christ. The compelling energy of this community is found in its creative expression of our love for God and man through service to the Bethesda community.   

I thoroughly enjoy being a part of the Servant’s Group because we make decisions only by consensus and try to humbly serve our community.