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STAFF Senior Pastor Rev. Bill Leslie Let’s see…..what do you need to know about me???? I am a native Arkansan, having lived all but five years of my life within the bounds of this wonderful state. I am married to Brenda Owens Leslie and have been for almost 42 years. We have two living children and six grandchildren. I love to share stories, to follow my dogs hunting quail, to fish, to write, to read mystery novels and to teach. I am a “has been” athlete, coach, chemistry, physics and mathematics teacher. I am an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and have been in ministry for 32 years. I’d love to talk with you and get to know you. _________________________________________________________________________________
Associate Pastor Rev. Angie Gage
Rev. Angie Gage is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary. Prior to serving at Paragould First United Methodist Church, Angie served as pastor at Decatur UMC in Decatur, Arkansas and Bay UMC in Bay, Arkansas. Prior to answering her call into Pastoral Ministry, Angie taught Special Education in Brinkley and Vilonia, Arkansas. She also was an Educational Therapist in a residential treatment facility for youth. She has experience with Children’s and Youth Ministry as well. One of Angie’s passions in ministry (other than preaching and teaching) is mission work. She enjoys being involved in the various missions of our church and of the United Methodist Church overall. Angie is married to John Michael. She has one daughter, Bailey, who is in her senior year of high school. Change is coming in her home as they are preparing for Bailey to move to Georgia where she has recently been accepted into Oxford College at Emory University. Angie feels this will be a great place for Bailey as they have a strong emphasis not just on academics, but in community missional work, which has been taught to Bailey from the very beginning. Angie’s husband is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree as he transitions from teaching on the college level into full time ministry. Outside of family life, Angie enjoys photography. She says that she is far from a professional but enjoys being able to just take photos that are meaningful to her and show the beauty of God’s handiwork. She also is an active genealogist and has traced parts of her family back to the 1200s. ________________________________________________________________________________ Youth Director Billy Fly Billy grew up in Nashville, TN and has lived across TN most of his life, except for a few years in Arkansas. He has been married to his wife Kelli for 10 years and has an energetic four year old son, Eliot, that keeps them both on their toes… laughing, and scratching their heads on a weekly basis!
Billy had dreams of becoming a wildlife officer or park ranger, etc. when in college… but sensed a need to serve other kinds of wildlife—teenagers. After getting a degree in Biology from Bethel University, he attended Memphis Theological Seminary where he received a Master of Divinity. In 2000, He was ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Besides hanging out with his wife and son, Billy enjoys being out in the woods or by a stream somewhere. He is also thrilled when he sees young people grow in God and serve others with their lives in Jr. high, high school, and beyond!
______________________________________________________________________________________ Music Director Danny Davis Organist/Pianist Bernard Raley Administrative Assistant Denise Chipman Custodian/Grounds Iona Stone ________________________________________________________________________________ Praise Band Music Director Brian Pearson ________________________________________________________________________________ Media/Communications/Video/Children's Music Karole Risker
Karole originally comes from Dearborn, Missouri (which is where her Northern "accent" comes from), a small town halfway between St. Joe and Kansas City where she grew up with her five sisters, one of them a twin. Karole has a daughter, Hannah, 13, who is a 7th grader at Crowley's Ridge Academy, and who is wonderful. They have a dog, Lucy, that is half lab, half crazy (just kidding). Karole's interests include running, reading, writing, community theatre and music. Karole and Hannah like to run 5K's together and do community shows together. They live in a 105-year old house near downtown. Karole holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. Her undergraduate degree is in communications with an emphasis in photojournalism from Arkansas State University. She recently comes from MOR Media where she was the managing editor at Premiere Magazine, a post she held for four years. Before that she was the Executive Director of the Endowment Foundation of Greene County for five years. Karole owns her own children's photography business, Pitter Patter Photography, that began in 2006. Karole has been a member of FUMC for over 1 1/2 years. ________________________________________________________________________________ Intern Minister Blake Schrepfer Blake earned a Bachelor of Science and Interdisciplinary Studies from Arkansas State University in May of 2011. He has been on staff and a member of the church since June 2011. Along with his duties at FUMC, Blake is the worship leader at the ASU Wesley Foundation, a position he has held since 2008. He has also been a worship leader at Jonesboro First United Methodist and a youth counselor at Cornerstone United Methodist.
When he's not at church, Blake is often trying to write music or cycling. He participates in the Wesley Foundation's Tour de Faith every summer. He has ridden the Gulf Coast, across Ohio, and across Arkansas. The longest trek took place the week after graduation, as Blake and 4 others cycled from Albuquerque, NM to Jonesboro (that's 1,004 miles). Sore butt aside, it is one of the more memorable (and miserable) three weeks of his life.
Blake has also been accepted to Asbury Theological Seminary for the fall semester. After receiving a Master of Divinity, he plans to serve the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church until he dies...or he's ready to go somewhere else.
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