New Pastors
Rev. Bill Brown, Senior Pastor
Bill Brown accepted the call to ordained ministry in 1997 after running the family insurance agency in Sylacauga for 12 years. The business which was sold in 1998 ended 95 years of a family heritage so Bill and wife, Terri could follow God’s call. Bill holds a BS degree in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama, and a Master of Divinity from Emory University. Bill has served the following churches in the North Alabama Conference: Oldfield / Center Hill, Anniston First, Gordo First, Montevallo First.
Bill has been active in several areas of the conference. He has served in leadership positions for the District Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Trustees and the District Committee of Buildings and Location. He was director of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Montevallo. He has been active in the Walk to Emmaus ministry where he has served as cluster Spiritual Director for two clusters. He is currently part of a cutting edge program for our conference: Clergy Coaching and Leadership Development Group. For the past couple of years he has been involved with First Priority, a ministry whose goal is to reach every city, every school, and every student for Christ.
Bill and Terri, who just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, have four children: Emily, Mallory, Andrew, and Jacob. They are also blessed with a son-in-law Brady Baird and two wonderful grandchildren: Evelyn and Eliza Kate.
Rev. Minnie Stovall, Associate Pastor
My entire life seems for the most part to have revolved around music and church-related activities. I have often joked that my family was “swinging Christians” –the door to the church swung open and we “swung in.” I don't think we ever missed!
My family sang together constantly and my sisters and I (five girls, one boy) sang trio-style for years. In high school, I was in band and always sang alto in choir because I could read music and carry a harmony part. It was several years later that I discovered my upper voice and found that I was a soprano. I began to sing solos in church and became involved in local musical theatre. Music and singing opened quite a few doors for me.
My undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama is in Vocal Performance. I studied voice there with Ed White, Head of the Voice Department, and, later, with Dr. Richard Armstrong at JSU. Both of these gentlemen had profound impacts on me. Ed White taught me to value the gift (a valuable lesson for one with a tendency to self-efface) and Richard Armstrong taught me not to be a snob about operatic arias that are traditionally sung mostly by freshman sopranos (ask me about that sometime.)
I was raised in and attended a Baptist Church until my graduation from UA. My first music-related position after graduation was with St. Paul UMC in Boaz. It was during my tenure there that I joined the United Methodist Church and, ultimately, announced my call to preach.
I entered Candler School of Theology in 2004 during my first appointment in the North Alabama Conference as Student Associate Pastor at Talladega First UMC. I served three wonderful years there, first with Reverend Bill Gandy, and later with Dr. Kay Mutert. The last three years, I have served the two-point LaFayette Charge (LaFayette 1st and Sandy Ridge). I recently completed the Probationary process and will be ordained as an Elder on Friday evening, June 4, 2010, at Canterbury UMC.
I have one daughter, Lauren, and three grandchildren: Danielle, Alexis and Brendan. I am very excited to be in ministry with you here and I pray that we will choose to follow God completely...together.
