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as Christ the King Lutheran Church's first full time pastor |
Pastor Couchman is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Lutheran
Southern Theological Seminary. His post-graduate studies included an
emphasis on Family Systems Therapy. Following the completion of his
baccalaureate and graduate studies, Pastor Couchman served in the United
States Army as a Lt. Colonel Chaplain. His military service spanned a period of
eighteen years active duty and five additional years as a reservist. He served
as senior pastor in Virginia and Texas parishes.
Pastor Couchman enriched his life and character in pursuit of a broad
spectrum of special interests throughout his youth. He attended George Wythe
High School in Wytheville, Virginia. Wythe County is an agricultural
community with a population of 22,511 (U.S. Census 2000).
Wytheville is the county seat and the county's largest municipality,
with a population of 7,800 (U.S. Census 2000). Couchman graduated
in 1960. He says of his high school experience, "though George Wythe was a
small, rural high school, it garnered national attention beyond what might
be expected of a school of its size and location in the 1950s and 1960s
due to the school's music program, the product of an energetic band director
who was quite a showman. He attracted fledgling musicians by the dozens until
the band membership exceeded one hundred from a student body of at most 800."
Couchman was the band's drum major. He recounts the high school band
qualified to compete in many national competitions, winning them all. They marched
in an Inaugural parade as part of Virginia's delegation and performed an NFL
half-time show, viewed on national television. The band was also seen in
other major performances venues.
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After high school, Couchman applied and was accepted to Hampden-Sydney College,
a small Virginia college. The school offered no music curriculum of any kind
motivating Couchman to shift attention to football. He reported early for
his freshman year, allowing him to appear as a walk-on at
pre-season practice. Couchman was more surprised than anyone to make the team. He says,
"There were no star moments or film highlights of astonishing athleticism, but
I will never forget the experience." His other major extracurricular interest was theater.
He says, "I participated for three years, and I was working in summer stock following my
1964 graduation when I met my future wife, Linda Anderson." Linda is a graduate of James
Madison University. They were wed July 12, 1964. Couchman came to understand and to
accept his life's calling to serve in ordained ministry.
After coming to terms with and acceepting his call to serve in ordained
ministry. Pastor Couchman experienced a bit of a struggle as his
Father's family was Presbyterian, and his mother's family was Lutheran.
Both Linda's parents were Lutheran, and a great-uncle served for years as
president of the Virginia Synod. Couchman says, "My wife helped a lot with the final
decision to apply to a Lutheran seminary." He applied and was accepted to
study at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Columbia, South
Carolina. Couchman and Linda have four children. Following his seminary
graduation, Couchman and his wife went to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
for their first parish experience.
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