Church Leadership
“Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.”
John 12:26
First United Methodist Church – Nominations Report
For service beginning or continuing on January 1, 2020.
Updated on January 9, 2020
To learn about the various church committees and their role in serving the church, read our FUMC Committees summary.
Administrative Board Officers
Chair: Cindy Walter
Vice Chair: Brandon Crisp
Secretary: Merry Rightmer
Treasurer: Mark Hamre
Executive Team (ex officio members of Ad. Board)
Cindy Walter (Chair)
Brandon Crisp (Vice Chair)
Pete Meeker (Past Chair)
Whitney Thurman (SPRC)
Matt Purdy (Finance)
To Be Elected (Trustee)
Rev. Taylor Fuerst (Senior Pastor)
Dave Ballbach (Director of Operations)
Coordinating Team (ex officio members of Ad. Board)
Board of Trustees Chair: To Be Elected
Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair: Whitney Thurman
Finance Chair: Matt Purdy
Youth Ministry Chair: Leslie Ivey
Children’s Ministry Chair: Erin Scarth
Adult Discipleship Chair: Pete Meeker
Communications/Marketing: Beverly Silas
Congregational Care Chair: Robbie Ausley
Connections Chair: Brandon and Kaycee Crisp
Mercy and Justice Chair: Terri Purdy
Worship Chair: To Be Elected
Reconciling Ministry Chairs: Davis Covin
Trustee Chair: To Be Elected
UMW President: Sandy Wilder
Pastors/Program Staff: Rev. Taylor Fuerst, Rev. Cathy Stone, Dave Ballbach, Lara Greene, Devon Bailey, Mary Heckmann
Administrative Board
The Administrative Board is empowered to elect to office any vacancies in this report or that may occur in the course of the year.
Board Officers Chair: Cindy Walter | Committee Chairs Robbie Ausley | Staff (Ex-Officio, Voice, No Vote) Dave Ballbach |
Members at Large
Class of 2020 Elizabeth Lerner | Class of 2021 Craig Blome | Class of 2022 Judy Kostura |
Staff-Parish Relations Committee
Chair: Whitney Thurman; Staff: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
Ex-Officio: Pete Meeker, Administrative Board Chair/Representative; Sandy Wilder, Annual Conference Delegate
Staff: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
| 2020 Truman Fenton Tabatha Stephens Cliff Bevel | 2021 Penny Appleby Carl McClendon Whitney Thurman | 2022 Kathy Billiot Lisa Pittman Stan Casey |
Annual Conference Delegates
(2 for FUMC, plus 4 District Delegates)
Alternates: Sandy Wilder, Meme Drumwright, Brad King
| 2020 Bob Garrett Clay Daigle | 2021 Sharon Doss Cindy Walter Lauren Perry | 2022 Mike Etie |
Finance Team
Chair: Matt Purdy
Staff: Deanna Fairchild (Staff), Dave Ballbach (Staff), Rev. Taylor Fuerst (Staff)
Ex-Officio voting: Pete Meeker, Administrative Board; Mark Hamre, Treasurer; Stewardship Chair; and representatives from SPRC, Trustees & Annual Conference Delegate
| 2020 Matt Purdy Rob Ivey Cassie Gresham | 2021 Jan Ashmos Pam Steves Dick Young | 2022 Carrie Conner Tim Deithloff Tony Kenrick |
Board of Trustees
(at least 3 women required)
Chair: To Be Elected
Staff: Dave Ballbach, Mark Steves
| 2020 Will Gresham Earl Crane Carol Brady | 2021 Bergan Casey Robbie Cripe Barrett Criscoe | 2022 Haley Rose Tucker Thurman Jen Gius |
First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, Inc
Board of Directors
Members at Large | Ex-Officio Administrative Board Chair Finance Chair: Matt Purdy Board of Trustees Chair: To Be Elected Church Treasurer: Mark Hamre Registered Agent: Deanna Fairchild Senior Pastor: Rev. Taylor Fuerst |
Committee on Nominations & Leadership Development
Chair: Rev. Taylor Fuerst
| 2020 Jan Berger Sharon Doss Kevin Waggoner | 2021 Jim Dow Lindsay Liggett Chip Morris | 2022 Will Binford Melanie Rush Jane Bowen |
Adult Discipleship Team
Chair: Pete Meeker
Staff: Emily Buchanan
| Deborah Wilder Ellis Pittman | Curt Ashmos Lucius Bunton | Curt Shaw Amy Wink |
Children Ministries Team
Co-Chairs: Erin Scarth
Staff: Lara Greene, Chloe Conner
| Liz Kilday Katie Kaighin Leslie Story | Dustin Goss Tegra Swogger Sarah Whitley | Cassie Gresham Kim Battle |
Youth Ministries Team
Chair: Leslie Ivey
Staff: Devon Bailey
| Sarah Austin Evan Drazic (HS) Melanie Greene Mark Steves Adele Boerner (MS) | Taylor Austin (HS) Molly Drazic Heather Schuelke Rebecca Yohe Monica Choi | Tim Deschner Caroline Greene (HS) Peyton Ivey (HS) Christie Wilson Elisabeth Carrell |
Mercy and Justice Team
Chair: Terri Purdy
Staff: Rev. Cathy Stone
District Mission Board Member: Terri Purdy
| Davis Covin Lisa Hilderbrand Daviss King Stacey Prentice Sally Watkins | Shirley Derryberry Judy Kostura Ann Teich Sandy Wilder | Howard Hartman Caroline Jones Keely Nugent Randy Teich |
Connections Team
Chair: To Be Elected
Staff: Trevor Harper
| Ben Patterson Rick Ortiz | Sharon Doss Davis Covin | Alice Parrish Robbie Cripe |
Communications /Marketing
Chair: Beverly Silas
Staff: Mary Heckmann
| Anthony Gutierrez Tegra Swogger | Laura Lee Daigle Tony Gius | Bob Leeper Keefe Boerner |
Congregational Care Team
Chair: Robbie Ausley
Staff: Rev. Taylor Fuerst, Daviss King
| Silver Link Ministry Team Drive a Senior-West Austin Hospital Visitation Team Knit Wits Ministry Comfort and Joy Ministry | Chair-Judy Breckbill Chair-Tom Ausley Co-Chair-Jan Ashmos, Co-Chair-Amy Hurt Chair-Carol Dickerson Co-Chair-Virginia McCarroll, Co-Chair-Debbie Rippetoe |
United Methodist Women
| President-Sandy Wilder Vice President -Patricia Kenrick | Secretary- Becky Ratliff Treasurer -Caroline Jones | Nominations -Emily George At-large -Carrie Conner |