A Little About Marty

Marty Vershel has always believed that holy things happen in ordinary places—and sometimes in the weird ones, too. A proud graduate of Melbourne High in sunny Florida, the University of Central Florida (B.A. in Political Science and Communications), and Perkins School of Theology (M.Div.), Marty is a retired Elder in the United Methodist Church. For decades, he served congregations across Texas—from College Station to Bullard, Beaumont to Houston—with a heart for helping people find grace in pews, hospital rooms, kitchens, and even in conversations they never expected to be holy.

Today, that calling continues in new and overlapping ways. As a Celebrant with Dignity Memorial, Marty walked with families through moments of loss and remembrance, crafting services that honor life with love, honesty, and hope.

As a Licensed Final Expense Specialist, he helps families prepare for the financial realities of death with compassion, clarity, and a touch of humor—because planning ahead is one of the most loving things we can do for the people we leave behind. And as a United Methodist pastor, he still believes that grace shows up everywhere—sometimes in sanctuaries, sometimes in cemeteries, sometimes in the quiet of a late-night phone call.

Theologically, Marty is a grace-soaked Wesleyan who finds God in the Sacraments, in community, and in every place the marginalized are brought to the center. He believes love is love, and that the gospel is best preached with open arms and genuine laughter.

Marty is the proud father of two amazing sons—Dr. Connor Vershel and Zachary Vershel—both of whom married extraordinary women, Mary Ryan and Hannah. He’s also “Papa” to three beautiful grandchildren—Myer, Kara, and Charlie—who are growing up way too fast and way too far away.

When he’s not leading a service, helping a family plan, or writing for his blog, Unlikely Altars, you might find him cooking his legendary meatballs, biking Houston’s scenic trails, playing with his foster dogs, or yelling at the Mets (lovingly, of course). And yes — he still insists even zombies have something to teach us about resurrection.

Unlikely Altars is Marty’s way of reminding us that the sacred isn’t confined to churches or chapels. It’s hiding in plain sight — in grief and gratitude, in laughter and leftovers, and in all the small, ordinary moments where heaven brushes up against earth.

Pull up a chair, stay a while, and let’s look for the holy together.