Say hello to the leadership team at First UMC. Got questions for the lead team at First? Fill out our contact us form through the website!

Wright Culpepper is our Elder here at First UMC. He comes from Fort Valley, Georgia but loves being in the Golden Isle area. Wright attended Mars Hill College, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and McCormick Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Ann, have 3 grown children and collectively between them have 7 grandchildren. Wright loves Fort Valley Peaches, Blue Bird school buses, and trains.

You can reach Wright directly by calling (912) 265-4313 Ext. 101 or by sending him a message to Wright@FUMCBrunswick.com

Alexandria Tipton joined our staff in August of 2018 as our Director of Youth Ministry. She is a Brunswick native who has come home. Alexandria knew she was called to Youth Ministry as early as her freshman year of college. After traveling, getting married, and finishing college with an Organizational Communication degree from Middle Tennessee State University she began searching for the church God wanted her at. With some divine intervention and prayer both First UMC and Alexandria found each other. With her husband, Andrew, and daughter, Avalyn, they made the move to South Georgia from Nashville, Tennessee. They have since added two sons, Anderson and Alexander, to their family. Alexandria is currently a graduate student at Duke Divinity School pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Practice. The quickest way to Alexandria's heart is supplying her with a Coca-Cola and/or spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a!

You can reach Alexandria by phone at (912) 265-4313 ext.111 or by email at Alexandria@FUMCBrunswick.com

Laurie Frank is the Director of Music here at First UMC and has been with us since 2017. Laurie is bi-vocational and teaches music at Brunswick High School, Go Pirates. Education mentions here followed by mentions of family. With her husband she lives in the SoGlo area and absolutely loves it!

You can reach Laurie by phone at (912) 265-4313 Ext. 105 or by email at lfrank@glynn.k12.ga.us

Joe Milton is the Church Treasurer here at First UMC. He grew up predominantly in South Georgia, where both his father and grandfather served for over 50 years as Baptist ministers. He proudly served in the Army National Guard for six years. After graduating from Georgia Southern University in 1972 with a BBA in Accounting, he and his wife, Becky, moved to Brunswick. They visited both Methodist and Baptist churches locally and chose First UMC as their home church. Joe and Becky are the parents of two daughters, named Tiffani and Tara. Tiffani is an engineer with Corporate Home Depot in Atlanta, and Tara is a Clinical Psychologist with a private practice here locally. Joe loves helping people solve their problems and especially enjoys time with his family. He loves to eat at different restaurants as well, so if you need any recommendations ask Joe!

You can reach Joe by phone by calling (912) 265-4313 Ext. 107 or by email at Joe@fumcbrunswick.com

VaCountess Johnson (or V.C. for short) is our Minister of Outreach here at First UMC. She joined us here at First just recently and we are very excited to have her! V.C. has proudly described herself as a professional student, she loves knowledge. She attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1970. In 1975, she became the first black woman to receive a Masters of Divinity and teaching certificate from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Then, in 1976, she became the fourth woman to be ordained by the American Baptist Church, USA. V.C. is well-trained, has traveled and studied, both nationally and internationally; is aware and involved in church, community, political and social concerns; is committed to teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God's word; and is submissive to the presence of the Holy Spirit in her personal life. V.C. has accomplished much in her life and has received numerous awards for her ministry within the church and community. One of the most noted is her photo is included with other Gordon-Conwell students in the stained glass window of the David M. Rogers Hall of Mission as a visual celebration of students/alumni showing God's work in every aspect of life on every continent. A connoisseur of fine dining, she looks forward each evening to enjoying a good meal and retiring/napping in her Lazy Boy.

Jenna Kennedy is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She grew up in the Atlanta area and received a BA from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC and an MDiv from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She moved with her husband Patrick and daughter Maie to Brunswick in June 2021 to begin work at FaithWorks. She has a passion for missions, the intersection of art and theology, the Indigo Girls and Zac Brown Band- and cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs in the Fall.

Tab Miller is the Director of Operations and Volunteer Ministries at FaithWorks, as well as a volunteer staff member here at First UMC. In addition to his work here in Glynn County, Tab also serves as a theological educator for a network of twelve indigenous churches on the Navajo Reservation, traveling quarterly to train over thirty Navajo pastors and church workers, who minister across the Reservation, an area about the size of West Virginia. Tab graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2010 and is a ministerial candidate. Tab and his wife, Natalie, have three wonderful daughters, Audrey, Tabitha, and Lia. Tab’s Navajo name is Shíyázhí Néz (meaning, “Tall Son”). Tab loves mutton stew, a cultural staple of his home away from home, the Navajo Reservation.