Community of Saint Peter
Our Team
Rev. Joseph Blotz (he/him/his) - Pastor/Administrator
Before accepting the call as pastor at Community of St. Peter, Joe served congregations of the United Church of Christ in Northeast Ohio, Upstate New York, and Connecticut. His ministry experience spans both rural and urban settings, where he integrated his passion for liturgy, enthusiasm for faith formation, and commitment to peace and justice. Joe worked with the Amistad Catholic Worker in New Haven, Connecticut, supported migrant workers in Upstate New York, and led worship and song with long-term care residents across the communities he served.
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Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and a Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion. He was ordained at Plymouth Church, United Church of Christ in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
He is also certified as a facilitator for Godly Play (child faith formation through storytelling), Our Whole Lives (lifespan sexuality education), Music Together (early childhood music and movement), and is a licensed Yoga Instructor through the Yoga Alliance.
In addition to ministry, Joe finds joy in printmaking, Saori weaving, and being husband to Jim and father of four.
Rev. Susi Kawolics - Administrative Assistant
Reverend Susi Kawolics recently retired from Federated Church United Church of Christ in Chagrin Falls after 8 years as their Associate Pastor. She is on the board as Treasurer of the Cleveland Ecumenical Institute of Religious Studies (CEIRS), and serves as the Chair of the Steering Committee for the Northeast Ohio School of Ministry (NEOSOM). She has a certification as a Labyrinth facilitator through Veriditas (www.veriditas.org).
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​Susi was raised Methodist, then converted to Catholicism. Susi received her Master’s degree in Ministry from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike and was certified as a lay ecclesial minister for the Cleveland Diocese of the Catholic Church in ​1999. She became a licensed minister in the United Church of Christ denomination in 2008 and was ordained in 2014.
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She has lived her whole life in Cleveland and has been married to her husband Rich, another native Clevelander, for 36 years. They have two daughters, Kailey and Kiran.
Matthew Dolan (he/him/his)- Director of Music
Matthew Dolan is an active pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and music director with 20 years experience and over 65 stage productions to his credit. Matthew grew up in Tallmadge, Ohio. He has studied the piano actively for 30 years.
Matthew attended the University of Akron School of Music where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory and Composition, and a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting. He has spent 11 years in professional music ministry, before joining the Community of St. Peter.
In addition to his sacred work, Matthew is also an active music director for the theatre, having worked at many local professional theaters including Blank Canvas Theatre,
Near West Theatre, Beck Center for the Arts, Dobama Theater, The Cleveland Play House, Cain Park, and many others - both locally and across the United States. He has also worked in this capacity at Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, and Oberlin College. As a composer, Matthew’s original work has been heard on the podcasts “Generative Spirits” and “Beyond the Habit,” as well as on Cleveland's NBC affiliate, Channel 3 News. As an arranger, Matthew’s work spans a wide variety of genres, and has been performed by high school, collegiate, and community ensembles across the northeast Ohio region. He serves as accompanist for the Vocal Music Departments of St. Ignatius High School and Cleveland Heights High School. Matthew also is a proud member of the Greenhouse Ensemble.
Martha Ligas (she/her/hers) - Pastoral Minister
Martha has been on staff at the Community of St. Peter since 2021. She is also a Program Associate at FutureChurch. Both spaces give her room to ride the coattails of the Spirit by reimagining what it means to create faith communities of belonging.
Martha has traversed the Jesuit landscape in her theological education, completing undergraduate studies at Loyola University Chicago, graduating from Boston College with a MA in Theology and Ministry, and earning a certification in Spiritual Direction through the Ignatian Spirituality Institute at John Carroll University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Ministry from Fordham University.
Her ministry has led her through various ministries on multiple continents, from leading immersions in Honduras to teaching English in Rwanda. It’s led her to and through retreat direction, volunteer coordination, and teaching high school theology.
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When Martha isn’t daydreaming about a more inclusive church, she’s either in a bookstore or hard at work being an Auntie.
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