United Methodist Church of Port Washington welcomes two new pastors

Janelle Clausen

The United Methodist Church of Port Washington appointed two new pastors in July, adding a couple with a blend of experience in foreign, rural and southern congregations.

Pastors David Collins and Romana Abelova served in seven churches since moving to New York, including ones in the Catskills, Carmel, Lake Mahopac and Purdys. But while many of their churches were in rural settings, they said this strengthened their passion for ministry and community.

“As a married couple working together, we know we can bring the best that both of us have to offer to our congregation and to Port Washington,” Collins said in a statement.

Collins met Abelova during his first year of seminary and they married two years later in 2009. He then moved to New Jersey to be with her, transferred to Drew Theological School, and became a pastor at the United Church of Roscoe, according to his online biography.

Collins, who was born in South Carolina, graduated from the University of South Carolina and Drew Theological School.

Abelova, born in Bratislava, Slovakia, received her master’s with honors from Comenius University. Abelova, as a Lutheran, trained in the First Lutheran Church of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, and then volunteered at the Ascension Lutheran Church while at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

She then returned to Slovakia in the summer of 2008 to assist the Bratislava International Church, before going to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Union, New Jersey, for three years. In 2011, she transferred her membership to the United Church of Roscoe and became a United Methodist.

Abelova served Hankins United Methodist Church and Collins served the United Church of Roscoe and Callicoon United Methodist Church, before serving as co-pastors of the Delaware Headwaters Parish. They were also appointed to the Nurture-Outreach-Witness Cooperative Parish, according to their online biographies.

But now, Port Washington may be their home for quite awhile.

“The hospitality and generosity we have seen here have shown us this is a place where we would like to make our home with our daughters and church family,” Abelova said in a statement. The couple has two daughters, ages 2 and 5.

The church said on Wednesday that the couple is on vacation. Collins also reached out via email on Wednesday to discuss their careers.

Share this Article