The Rev. Paul A. Metzler, Associate Priest

The Rev. Paul A. Metzler, D.Min., an Episcopal priest and psychotherapist, is an associate priest of the Church of the Transfiguration, serving full-time outside our congregation as Director of Community & Program Services for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Hospice Care program since September 2005. VNSNY Hospice Care provides end-of-life care for patients and families, as well as offers grief counseling to individuals, couples and families and educational programs/consultation to community, professional, and religious organizations.

Fr. Metzler is a Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors; a NYS Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; a Member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling; the Council of Hospice Professionals; Spiritual Directors International and the Assembly of Episcopal Healthcare Chaplains. He serves as Book Review Editor for The Forum, the official publication of the Association for Death Education and Counseling and as Vice-Chair of DecideYourCare.Org, a metro-NYC alliance to promote advance healthcare decision-making.

He previously served as Director of The Center for Living With Loss, a bereavement counseling and education center sponsored by Hospice & Palliative Care Associates of Central New York (1993-2005) and the Director of Education and Psychotherapy Training at the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center (1979-1993) and as the Director of CONTACT-St. Louis, a 24-hour telephone crisis center (1973-1978). From 1971-1973 he served as Protestant Chaplain at the Juvenile Detention & Treatment Centers in the city and county of St. Louis.

Fr. Metzler began his ministry as a Lutheran clergyman, ordained on the 2nd Sunday of Advent in 1971, following completion of his M.Div. and S.T.M. degrees at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a Doctor of Ministry at Concordia in 1992. He was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 1993 and studied for Holy Orders in the Anglican Studies program of the Diocese of Central New York. The Rt. Reverend David B. Joslin, Bishop of Central New York, ordained him Deacon on June 17, 1995 and Priest on Ascension Day, May 16, 1996. He served in a non-stipendiary position as Cathedral Precentor at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Syracuse (1995-2003) before moving to New York City in 2005.

He is married to the Rev. Martha G. Metzler, an Episcopal priest serving as Associate Rector of St. James’ Church in Manhattan. The Metzlers have a son, Benjamin, and a daughter, Elizabeth, both young adults who also reside in the NYC area.

To contact Father Metzler, call the office at 212.684.6770 or click here to email.