Dr. Mark Meier was born into a family of United Methodist pastors.  His father, three uncles, two brothers, and several cousins have served churches across the nation and as military and hospital chaplains.  His mother served alongside her husband as one of the early Deaconesses in the Church. 

Mark met his wife, Debi, at a camp in the Rockies outside of Denver, CO.   As he attended Taylor University in Indiana, their early courtship initially flourished via letters, phone calls and drives to Colorado.

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Two years later, they married in Denver and the next week drove to North Dakota where they spent an internship serving a circuit of small churches, then returning to seminary.  Mark served 21 years in parish ministry in North Dakota and Louisiana, then over 22 years in an Appointment Beyond the Local Church with a counseling practice in metro Denver in marriage and family counseling and in court ordered domestic violence treatment.

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Debi retired as an assistant professor after 25 years teaching in college.  Debi designed and led women’s retreats in both North Dakota and Colorado.  Together, Mark and Debi led couples retreats in Colorado.

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Mark holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Taylor University, a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary, with postgraduate work in counseling for AAMFT, APA (Diplomate), and DV credentialing.  During the years in parish ministry, Mark served on numerous Conference Boards and Committees.  Mark has had a longstanding interest, as well, in theology, church and general history, economics, and political theory. 

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Mark and Debi have a son, Joe, a daughter, Michelle, who with her husband Glenn, have five children. All live in Jacksonville providing a great reason to retire here.

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In June of 2018 they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.