Harold Henderson, D.Min - Senior Minister  372-8523 Ext 11
hhenderson@fumcgnv.org       Click Here for high resolution picture

Dr Harold Henderson has been appointed our Senior Minister.  Dr Henderson came to us from the FUMC of Reddick, FL where he has been minister for 13 years. He is an Australian citizen, married to a US citizen, Dr. Ruth Henderson and resides permanently in the United States. He holds a degree in Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity, University of Melbourne, Australia. He also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Barry University in Miami, Florida. He has lived and worked in Geneva, Switzerland, Cyprus and Barcelona, Spain as well as in Australia and the United States. Previous work with World Vision International and The Methodist Church have taken him to more than 70 countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, The Pacific and Europe. Dr. Henderson currently teaches short-term intensive courses for clergy students through the Emory University Extension program at Florida Southern College in Lakeland.

His wife, Dr. Ruth Henderson, recently retired as Director of the Archer Campus of Santa Fe Community College and works with interns in the College of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. 

Julie Cole - Church Administrator  372-8523 Ext. 25
jcole@fumcgnv.org     

Julie has come onboard at First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, as the Church Administrator to manage and supervise all aspects of the business administration. She has lived in Gainesville since 2005 and is the mother of two teenage boys. Julie has lived in Hollywood, FL, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York, prior to living in Gainesville. She has worked in the business administration field for more than 20 years at various corporate and small business industries. She was the business administrator for the U.S. Center for World Missions, Gainesville, in 2010, a start-up organization to train and support long-term missionaries around the world. She has owned and operated a real estate development company, a brokerage, a property management and a lawn care company and has spent more than 10 years in that industry. Her first career was as a journalist and managing editor in the newspaper industry, where she worked for more than 15 years. Julie majored in communications at New York State University at Oneonta.

Cristle Alfred - Financial Secretary  372-8523 Ext. 27
calfred@fumcgnv.org     

Waiting for biography

Cristle Alfred receives award for 20 years of service on January 17, 2007
        Click here for the details and a picture

Lorraine Amick - Organist  372-8523
lorraine@fumcgnv.org  

Our new organist, Lorraine Amick, grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho where her father worked for the Atomic Energy Commission. She started playing the organ in her early teens when the minister's wife at their small Episcopal church wanted a break from playing the organ. Although she majored in biology, she studied organ for four years at Stanford University in California.
 
Lorraine worked as a medical technologist at the VA Hospital here in Gainesville for many years. That is where she met her husband, Dr. Jack Amick, a VA dentist.  They have been married 27 years. When they first married they had 5 teen-age children between them. "They all survived -(so did she and JackI!)- and all are doing well"
 
Lorraine has been an organist/choir director at Faith Presbyterian Church in Melrose, and Church of the Mediator in Micanopy. She has been a substitute organist at Holy Trinity for many years playing for months at a time between organists.
 
Lorraine says she is very happy to be playing every week on a wonderful instrument.  "The staff and members of FUMC have been very welcoming!  She is looking forward to many months and years together"
 

Wendy Callahan - Church Hostess  372-8523 Ext. 24
wendy@fumcgnv.org

Wendy grew up in Miami and came to Gainesville in 1989 with Eastern Airlines. When Eastern went under in 1991, she and her Mom opened a restaurant in Hawthorne called PJ's. There they met Julia and Ray Massey, members of FUMC, and were asked to cook for the Methodist ladies. After the birth of her daughter Leah and son Chase, they closed the restaurant and devoted their cooking skills to FUMC together for 8 years before her Mom's untimely death. Wendy continues to cook, aided by John Bloodsworth.

Robert W. Jackson (BJ)  - Director of Music Ministries  372-8523 Ext. 20
music1@fumcgnv.org     
Robert Jackson, or as he is better known, BJ, was born and raised in Homestead, Florida. He is the third of four siblings and is a true Florida cracker.  He originally planned to be a Veterinarian, but didn't make the cut, so he transferred to the Pharmacy Dept (his father was a Pharmacist).  While in Pharmacy School, he joined the Men's Glee Club and soon became very involved in the musical events on campus, including six years with the Chamber Singers and the Madrigal Dinners, three successful seasons of A Broadway Review and too many Christmases on Campus to remember.  It was here that a professor/mentor suggested that he might find a music career to be more fulfilling and so he has. 
  
Many of you may remember that after he graduated  from UF in 1978, and before he actually started his church music career, he spent five months here at First Church as very inexperienced Youth Director.  His fondest memory, other than the great group of youth, is learning how to drive that old yellow school bus on the one way streets of Ybor City during a youth mission trip that summer.  He left First Church for a full time Director of Music and Youth at Cason United Methodist Church in Delray Beach, Florida, but would soon find his way back to Gainesville to become first the Assistant to the Pastor, then the Director of Music, at University United Methodist Church.  And here he remained for 27 years building a very successful college and church music program. 
    
He is the proud owner of seven (7) rescued cats - Hobbes, Anna, Abby, Ally, Scooter, Sasha, and Zoe.  His favorite time of year is Fall - Christmas (a gene he inherited from his mother) and is a fanatic for huge Christmas light displays.  His house has been included in the Gainesville Sun listing for the last four years. 
  
The rest of the story is yet to be written as he enters a long line of excellent music directors here at First Church.  He believes that everyone has a musical voice with with to offer praises back to God, so if he hasn't already invited you to join the choir, he will. Stop by his office and say hello. 
 

Rachael Jordan - Director of Youth Ministries  372-8523 Ext. 18
rjordan@fumcgnv.org   

Rachael was born in Portland, ME and grew up in Clifton Park, NY.  She moved to Boynton Beach, FL at the start of high school and in August 2009, moved to Gainesville upon acceptance to the University of Florida. She is currently an undergraduate pursuing a B.A. in both Religion and Sociology and is really interested in Christian ethics, Bible interpretation and conflict resolution/mediation.  Rachael has been attending FUMC since she came to Gainesville and has found that the congregation has become her family-away-from-home. She loves music and is in both the Chancel and Bell choirs.  She was in band for 8 years and plays multiple instruments (mainly brass).  She loves the outdoors and worked as a summer camp counselor in the middle of the Everglades for 2 years.  Rachael also has 2 older brothers and 7 older step brothers.     
 

Aaron Stegemoller - Director of Children's Ministries  372-8523 Ext. 18
aaron@fumcgnv.org

A Texas native, Aaron received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Angelo State University and has actively sought an operatic career for the past fifteen years. Upon completion of his master’s degree in vocal performance from UMKC Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, Aaron was wed to Elizabeth Whitener in 2001. After a brief internship in Fort Collins, Colorado, Aaron and newlywed wife moved to Chicago, IL in January of 2002. Along came Adde in 2007 (predicted due date was 7/7/07). Our careers continued and then came Lucy in 2009. After 8 years of brutal winter weather (and Elizabeth’s completion of a PhD in neuroscience), the opportunity came to move to Gainesville. Aaron continues to sing under Chicago Concert Artists Management and Elizabeth vigorously researches Parkinson’s disease. Our two daughters, Adde and Lucy, continually ask, “Are we going to church?” The girls are enrolled in FUMPer’s preschool and participate in almost every church activity. Our lives have been centered around the Methodist faith and we love music, fellowship, children, and the great outdoors. Hobbies include outdoor walks, picnics, and of course, the park.

Amy Watson - Preschool Director  372-8523 Ext. 12
fumpers@fumcgnv.org   

Amy grew up in Auburn, AL and is a life-long Methodist. Prior to coming to FL, she earned a BS in Marine Biology from Auburn University and worked for 9 years as a Biologist. When Amy and her husband David moved to Gainesville in 1996, she changed career directions. She earned a Child Development Associate Credential and taught preschool for a few years. Amy and David were blessed with their child Addie in 1999 and she then became a stay-at-home Mom. In 2003, Amy was offered the position of the FUMC Preschool Director so she earned a Director Credential and has been involved with the FUMPer students ever since. Amy enjoys spending time out-of-doors with her family.