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"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, and remember, I am with you always ." |
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- Matthew 28:19-20 |
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Meet the Staff |
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Dr. Davis Chappell
Senior Minister
dchappell@fumclv.org
Dr. Davis Chappell is currently in his 8th year as senior pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Lawrenceville is a suburb on the northeast side of Atlanta. Its congregation now numbers over 3100.
Davis graduated from Martin College in Pulaski, Tennessee, and also from Lambuth College in Jackson, Tennessee, with degrees in Psychology. He went on to Candler School of Theology on the campus of Emory University, where he received his M.Div. degree. He recently completed his D.Min degree at Perkins School of Theology on the campus of Southern Methodist University. His doctoral work was in the area of evangelism and church renewal. His thesis was about how the mother church is impacted by birthing a new congregation. Under his leadership, LFUMC birthed and planted a new congregation in a growing section of Gwinnett County on September 11, 2005. LFUMC has also been instrumental in birthing the first homeless ministry in Gwinnett County, Family Promise.
Davis has served in pastoral appointments in the North Georgia Conference for the past 25 years. He is married to the former Sherre Hufman. They have 2 children: Andrew-age 18, and Hailey-age 14. |
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Reverend Sheri
Smith
Minister of Congregational Care
ssmith@fumclv.org
Sheri grew up in Douglasville, Georgia and
attended West GA College. She is a Licensed
Local Pastor currently studying at Emory
University's Candler School of Theology
in pursuit of ordination. She is married
to Hugh and they have a daughter named Sarah.
Sheri has served on the staff of Duluth
First UMC as Minister of Visitation and
also at East Cobb UMC as Associate Pastor.
Sheri's passions are visitation, her music,
and mission work. |
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Bill Steele
Director of Music
bsteele@fumclv.org
A. William (Bill) Steele is a graduate of
Texas State University, holding a degree
in French Horn performance. He has worked
in the field of church music for 22 years,
serving 18 of those years in Texas churches.
His choirs and bell groups have produced
7 recordings, toured Europe twice and received
invitations to sing at Carnegie Hall. Bill
is married to Robin and they have two children.
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Donna Arendall
Church Business Administrator
darendall@fumclv.org
Donna Arendall joined the staff as the Church
Business Administrator in 1996. Donna attended
Mercer University and has a BA in Business
Administration. She has worked in accounting
and business administration during her entire
career. Prior to coming to First Methodist,
Donna was the Church Business Manager at
Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross,
Georgia, a position she held for five years.
Donna has three sons, has been a member
of Central Baptist Church in Lawrenceville
since 1979 and has served there in many
capacities. |
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Lisa Johnson
Director of Spiritual Formation and Missions
ljohnson@fumclv.org
Lisa is a native of Dunlap, Tennessee. She
received a B.S. in education from Texas
Woman’s University in 1980. In 2006
she completed a Master’s of Divinity
from Candler School of Theology. She taught
for over 17 years in Gwinnett County Pubic
Schools. She and her husband Philip have
lived in Lawrenceville since 1987.Their
family includes Ashley and Matt Overley,
Laura and Allen Jones, and granddaughter
Claire Jones. |
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Allen Whittaker
Director of Youth
awhittaker@fumclv.org
Allen Whittaker was born and raised in Enterprise,
Alabama. He received his degree in Mass
Communications from Auburn University in
1998. While attending Auburn, he worked
for Auburn UMC as assistant youth minister.
After college, he worked as the Minister
to Youth and Young Adults at McEachern UMC
in Powder Springs, GA, Minister to Junior
High Students at Mount Pisgah UMC in Alpharetta,
GA, and as the Junior High Youth Minister
at Christ UMC in Mobile, AL. Allen also
has been taking seminary classes towards
a Masters of Theological Studies from Asbury
Theological Seminary and Candler School
of Theology. |
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Cindy Walters
Director of Children's Ministry
cwalters@fumclv.org
Cindy grew up in Wisconsin and graduated
from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
in Early Childhood Education. She taught
Public School for 13 years and after moving
to Georgia in 1988 operated a Licensed Family
Daycare. As an Area Rep for American Intercultural
Exchange, Cindy worked with foreign exchange
students and their host parents in the Atlanta
area. She and her husband, Randy, have been
married since 1975 and have two grown daughters,
Kiley and Darika. |
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Joan Irwin
Assistant Director of Music, Organist
jirwin@fumclv.org
Joan Irwin has been the Church Organist
since 1989. She attended the University
of Tennessee where she majored in Music.
She has been a professional organist since
age 14. Currently, Joan is a member of the
Georgia Music Teachers' Association. She
is married, has three sons and a grandson. |
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Michele Knapp
Nursery Coordinator
mknapp@fumclv.org
Michele Knapp, Nursery Coordinator, was
raised in Milford, Connecticut and graduated
from Western Connecticut State University
with a B.A. in Psychology in 1991. After
college, she worked as a case manager for
Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a shelter for
teenage mothers. She also worked as the
Director of Child Care Services for the
YWCA for three years, prior to moving to
the Atlanta area in 1999. Michele has been
married for nine years and has two children. |
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Olivia
Sandhagen
Parent's Morning Out Director
osandhagen@fumclv.org
Olivia has been a familiar face to
our children over the past three years
in the PMO program and the Nursery, and
we are excited about her new role. |
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Robin Dill
Director, Grace Arbor Congregational Respite Program
rdill@fumclv.org
Robin, a graduate from Clemson University,
has worked in a variety of settings which
have helped prepare her for the ministry
work at Grace Arbor. A native from Massachusetts,
Robin is a Stephen Minister with a background
in hospital pastoral care as well as a recent
caregiver. Having a passion for the elderly,
Bible study and prayer, she is excited about
the ministry of Grace Arbor and the opportunities
to work with incredible volunteers and staff.
Robin has been married to her husband Tom
for 26 years and they have 2 college age
adults, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 1 grand cat. |
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Bill Bledsoe
Campground Caretaker
bled582@bellsouth.net
Bill a native of Perry, Georgia graduated
from Westfield H.S. in 1979 after which
he entered into the Funeral Business, attending
Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service
in Atlanta. In 1983 he received his Georgia
State Embalmers license and then entered
the U.S. Army where he served a 6 year tour
of duty attaining the rank of sergeant.
He was honorably discharged in 1989. Bill
has also worked for the State Prison System
at Phillips C.I. in Buford, as a bootcamp
instructor. Bill and his wife Barbara Ann
(a native of Grayson, Ga) were married in
1994, they have 2 sons, Wade and Joshua. |
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