The Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) elected new members to its Board of Directors during its annual membership meeting on January 10, 2023.
Elected to the Board for 2023 are:
President: Rev. Christopher Serufusa of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church
Pastor Chris has been with the United Methodist Church of the Baltimore/Washington Conference for 27 years. He moved to Washington County four years ago with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, Mukisa, 17; and Mugabi, 15. Pastor Chris joined the HARC Board in July 2021 and was just elected to a one-year term as its president. “I appreciate [HARC’s] mission of caring and helping the needy. My prayer is to be a bridge,” he said. “I want to close the gap of racism that separates people. We are one people in the Lord.”
Vice president: Rabbi Mark Perman of Congregation B’nai Abraham
Rabbi Mark Perman and his wife, Elizabeth, arrived in Hagerstown in January 2022 so he could become the spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Abraham. Prior to moving to Los Angeles to be with Elizabeth in December 2020, Rabbi Mark had served as rabbi/cantor at B’er Chayim Congregation in Cumberland for four years. Previously, Rabbi Mark had also served congregations in Texas, Connecticut, Georgia, and New Jersey. He has worked as a hospital, hospice, and prison chaplain.
Rabbi Mark is excited to be on the board at HARC, since helping to build interfaith cooperation and connectedness has been a priority for him since graduating from Hebrew Union College-JIR in New York with ordination as a cantor in 1997. He is also a 1986 graduate of New York University. Rabbi Mark and Elizabeth enjoy sharing their home with their poodle, Chloe and cat, Apollo. When not working, Mark enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and hosting his weekly podcast and radio show called “The Interfaith Roundtable.”
Secretary: Kelly Z. Conrad, HARC PR & Marketing Volunteer; Writer, Novelist
Kelly began her 20-year career in the communications field as graphic artist, design editor, and copy editor at the former Herald-Mail Company, followed by positions as managing editor of several corporate in-house magazines. She also earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling and worked as a therapist for several years.
Kelly retired in 2016 and now uses her writing, editing, and communications skills as a volunteer for HARC, as well as for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness (PAILA) of Washington County. Kelly is an award-winning novelist in the historical fiction genre, with two published novels — Shaman and its sequel, The Passage — and an anthology of personal essays titled 7 p.m. (and other essays). She is passionate about making sure marginalized voices are heard. “I love everything HARC stands for,” Kelly says. “Contributing feeds me on many levels.” She lives in Hagerstown with her husband, Marcus.
At-large Board member: Rev. Les McIntosh, Sr., of Impact Ministries
Les L. McIntosh Sr. is the Lead Pastor of Impact Ministries in Hagerstown, Md. He is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, husband to beautiful wife Danita McIntosh and the father of five children, Kayla, Leslie Jr., Sydnee, Adriãna and Darian, and grandfather to Zola.
Pastor Mac is an anointed prolific Bible preacher and teacher. His passion for Christ began in childhood and includes service to the Kingdom as a deacon, elder, dean of Christian education, Sunday school teacher, men’s leader, evangelist, choir member and musician. He received his Elders License under the pastorate of Bishop David L. Herron of Warren, Ohio. Pastor Mac has a strong passion for ministry and a heart to serve leaders. He is also a successful business entrepreneur who founded and ran Les Energy LLC for 12 years until following God’s call to focus fully on ministry.
“I’m excited to be part of HARC, whose work I admire,” said Pastor Mac, “as well as excited to make an impact with those committed to making change.”
