Staff
The Reverend Dr. Kevin Tully is a native of Shawnee, Okla., where he graduated high school in 1976. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Oklahoma City University, a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University, receiving highest honors (graduation with distinction). He has also done additional postgraduate studies in the field of pastoral psychotherapy at the Center for Counseling and Psychotherapy in Oklahoma City and through Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa.
A college sophomore when he received his first pastoral appointment, Dr. Tully has served churches in Oklahoma, Texas, and in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He served six years as Minister of Evangelism and Preaching Associate at the Boston Ave. United Methodist Church in Tulsa. He has been Senior Pastor at Bartlesville First Church since June, 2008.
In addition to his work in the church, Dr. Tully has also served as a parenting-group facilitator for the Parent-Child Center of Tulsa and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater OKC. Western Heights School District (Oklahoma City) honored him as Western Heights Academy’s “Volunteer Patron of the Year,” where he served as mentor to elementary and junior high students in the Western Heights Alternative School.
Kevin and his wife, Georgia, were married in 1980 and have three children: Paige (Mrs. Colin) Chenault of Dallas, Kyle, and Drew. Kevin enjoys golf, guitar, cycling, triathlon, reading, and gardening.
The Reverend Connie Taylor is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church with 17 years experience pastoring churches in Oklahoma. She attended St. Paul's School of Theology in Kansas City for her seminary degree and has additional training in the areas of church growth, outreach, and leadership. Prior to pastoring, Connie traveled extensively with an international humanitarian foundation. She has also published three books for Quilt Block Bible Study classes. Connie continues to have a heart for missions, women's ministries, and enriching worship experiences. She has combined her interests to teach life skills classes in Mexico and Costa Rica and to lead workshops on visual enhancement of worship environments.
Connie is married to her college sweetheart, Dick. They have two sons who live in the Tulsa area with their families. Dick is the organist and Music Associate at FUMC -Tulsa.
Before coming to FUMC, she was appointed to the Cleveland and Hominy United Methodist Churches where she was active in both communities with Ministerial Alliances, school sports, and community and women's groups. Pastorates include Delaware and Chelsea in the Bartlesville District and Waukomis in the Enid District. Experience includes serving on various committees and boards at the District and Conference levels including District Committee of Ministries Chair, Commission On Status and Role Of Women Chair, Annual Conference Council, and the Board of Communications.
Connie's special interests include genealogy, gardening, international shopping, fishing, and entertaining.
Buz Wierick - Associate Pastor of Care
Email BuzBuz has served on the staff of FUMC since June 1994. Currently, he is serving as the Associate Pastor of Care. Buz is a 1975 graduate of Colorado State University – Pueblo, CO with a BS degree in Automotive Service Management. He did his graduate studies at Oklahoma City University and completed his seminary studies at St. Paul’s and Perkins. Buz was ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 2004.
Buz has been married to Patty for 35 years. They have three grown children, Alicia and her husband, Chris, of Allen, TX; Kyle and his wife, Mary, of Silver Spring, MD; and Kevin, a recent graduate of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS, who now resides in Tulsa, OK. He is engaged to Amber Bernard. Buz and Patty have four grandchildren; Julian, Ava, Ella and Tyler.
Buz enjoys spending time with Patty, traveling, working in the yard and tinkering with his classic Chevrolet.
Favorite Bible Verse: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
A Bartlesville native, Celeste graduated from Sooner High School and Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor’s of Music in vocal performance. After spending seven years in Los Angeles, studying voice and opera, she went to the Zurich Opera as an apprentice. After a year and a half in Switzerland, she joined the Hagen City Theater, in Germany, where she sang for 18 years. She returned to Bartlesville in 2001 and taught at Tulsa University. She currently is Adjunct Professor of Voice at Oklahoma Wesleyan University as well as Director of Music Ministries at FUMC.
Favorite Bible Verse: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, n or things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Cheryl Bartholomew - Sound Tech
Joel Bernstein - Director of Media Ministries
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Wayne Ford - Director of Accounting and Christian Education
Email WayneA native of the Texas Panhandle, Wayne has been Director of Accounting since June 2000. A graduate of West Texas State University with a BBA in Finance and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Masters in Religious Education, Wayne was in the banking industry for many years before attending seminary.
Wayne is married to Lexa and they have two grown sons, Shelby and his wife, Jennifer of Midwest City and Maury and his wife, Ashley of Phoenix, AZ. They are proud grandparents of Toby and Holly.
Favorite Bible Verse: But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
I graduated from Jay High School in 1973 and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in 1975 with an Associates degree in Business. I have attended FUMC since 1976 becoming a member in 1981. In August of 1991 I began working at Kids First as a preschool teacher and became director in June of 1997. I obtained the National Administrators Credential from the National Child Care Association in July of 1998.
I am married to Bartlesville native Steve Gregory and we have two children. Our son Tim is a high school history teacher at Skiatook and our daughter Tracy is a data analyst for SGS in Bartlesville. Tracy and her husband Michael (Bubba) are proud parents of our two year old granddaughter, Abby.
I enjoy working with the children and families who walk through the Kids First doors and hope that my love for the children is exhibited in everything I do whether it is by a smile, a touch or friendly words.
Favorite Bible Verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Lori Hibbard - Administrative Associate
Email LoriLori Hibbard has served as the Administrative Associate since August 2005, although she has been a member since December 12, 1993. When she’s not busy trying to meet the needs of the pastoral staff, she can often be found working behind the scenes with the youth department. Lori and her husband, Warren, were married April 21, 2007. Between them they have 5 children; Alex (married to Susanne), Michael, Shannon, Adam, and Benjamin.
Favorite Bible Verse: And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14
Desira is a native of Nowata, Okla. where she graduated high school in 2003. She graduated from Tulsa Community College with an Associates degree in Business. Desira and her husband, Clay, were married in 2007. In January 2010 they welcomed their daughter, Jerika.
Heather Mayfield - Kitchen Associate
David Mitchell - Sanctuary Screens
Casi Morris - Director of Childrens Ministry
Email CasiCasi Morris comes to us from the University of Oklahoma where she received a degree in History. With a broad knowledge of religious history, Casi has a unique perspective on Children’s ministries. Casi has a strong commitment to children, which was realized when she began teaching at Kids First in 2005. Casi’s commitment extends to all the children of FUMC as she has been continuously working to improve the facilities, plan events, institute programming, and assist with curriculum. She also serves as site coordinator for Project Transformation. Casi is married to Michael and is the mother of two boys, Ethan and Benjamin, and two puppy girls, Tiramasu and Bingo.
Favorite Bible Verse: He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8:21
Susan Mueller - Music Associate
Susan Mueller is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Music Education and Southern Methodist University with a masters in Choral Conducting. She taught vocal music for five years in the Jenks Public Schools and for twenty years at Bartlesville High School. During those years her choirs were awarded many superior ratings, gold awards, sweepstakes awards and sweepstakes plus plaques. Susan also taught both choral music and music education courses for several years on the college level - at Oral Roberts University and Bartlesville Wesleyan College (now Oklahoma Wesleyan University). In 2006 she was selected Bartlesville High School’s Teacher of the Year and in 2007 was chosen the Director of Distinction by the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association. In 2008 Susan was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Education Association Hall of Fame. After retiring from the Bartlesville schools in 2008, she continues in her 26th year as conductor of the Bartlesville Choral Society and as pianist at First United Methodist Church.
Mark Pinkerton - Office/Communications Associate
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Mark is a 2008 graduate of Bartlesville High School and has been a member of FUMC for over five years. Mark joined the staff in October of 2007.
Favorite Bible Verse: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
CJ was raised in Gilmer, TX where she spent loads of time learning and worshipping at First United Methodist Church. Her college years were spent at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M Wesley Foundation. She says that the Wesley Foundation taught her about service projects and true acceptance by the church.
After college CJ taught junior high and high school math in Center Point, Bandera, and Giddings Texas. She also worked in Christian education part-time in United Methodist churches in Boerne, Bandera, and Mason Texas. CJ was very active with United Methodist Women while living in Texas—she served as a conference officer for 8 years and a district officer for 4 years. She learned about doing International Christmas Markets through UMW and has been continuing that ministry for over 20 years.
CJ moved to Bartlesville in 2005 to teach math at Nowata High School. She joined First UMC in July 2006 and began working with the children’s music in August 2006. CJ is part of the Mission Committee, United Methodist Women, and the Sanctuary Choir at First UMC. CJ’s family includes her two cats, Aranxia and Milo.
Favorite Bible Verse: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose. Romans 8:28
Dr. Thompson was raised in the Washington, D.C. Suburbs of Maryland and received the Bachelor, Master and Doctors degree in Music from the University of Maryland on scholarship and full fellowship. Though a clarinet major, he studied organ at the university during the school year and then at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N. J. in the summers. His main organ teachers included Joan Lippincott, George Markey, and Pat Partridge. In addition to studying organ at the University of Maryland, he was the chapel organist there for the protestant and catholic services for seven years.
He became professor of music at the College of Charleston in South Carolina in 1974 where he headed the instrumental music division. While in Charleston he was principal clarinet and assistant conductor of the Charleston Symphony, Music Director of the Charleston Opera Company and Music Director of the Spoleto Festival All-State Youth Orchestra. He was a finalist in the East-West International Artists competition in New York City and Third Prize Winner in the National Orchestral Conducting Competition held in LaCrosse Wisconsin in 1981.
Randy came to Bartlesville in 1985 and became a Diaconal Minister in the Oklahoma United Methodist Church. Since 1998, Randy has been fulltime professor of music and administrator at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, serving as Department Coordinator, Humanities Division Chair, Associate Dean for Academic Assessment and presently as Vice President for Institutional Development. Randy also plays clarinet in the Bartlesville Symphony and Tulsa’s Signature Symphony in addition to being FUMC’s organist.
Favorite Bible Verse: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not because of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9
FEBRUARY 2012 
