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!

Our Sr. Pastor Rev. William A. (Chip) Strickland, Jr. and his wife Tristan are so excited to be back home serving FUMC Brunswick. The Stricklands see ministry as an adventure, and you will usually find Chip out and about in the community. In the true Wesleyan tradition, Chip really does believe the world is his parish. While he is passionate about his role as Senior Pastor and serving his church family, our pastor loves to be very active in the community. He is a Georgia Sheriff’s Association Certified Chaplain who loves working with Law Enforcement Officers and first Responders. As a huge sports fan, Chip also enjoys working with various sports teams as their chaplain too.

Before being appointed to FUMC Brunswick in June of 2024, Pastor Chip served Brooklet UMC for six years. Prior to that he was appointed to Riverside UMC in June of 2015 after serving five years as the Sr. Pastor of Kingsland First UMC. He has also served as Associate Pastor at both St. Simons UMC and Mulberry

Street UMC. He had previously served Guyton UMC for 7 years as their Senior Pastor. Pastor Chip graduated from Coastal Community College in Brunswick with an Associate’s Degree, Armstrong State University (now Georgia Southern) in Savannah with a Bachelor’s Degree & Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta with a Masters of Divinity.

Tris and Chip have two children Lindsay and Trey and a granddaughter Madelyn. They love being outside around the water, camping, and spending time with their goldendoodle, Brody.

You can reach Chip directly by calling (912) 265-4313 Ext. 102 or by sending him a message to Chip@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

Leslie Jackson has been the Children's Director at First United Methodist Church Brunswick since November 2023. Prior to this, she was the Choir Director at College Place UMC for five years and the pianist at St. Andrews in Darien for one and a half years. Leslie is beginning her 24th year of teaching and her 1st year of teaching as the Chorus Director at Brunswick High School.

Leslie was raised in Pavo, GA, a small town in Thomas County. She received her Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Valdosta State University, her Master's Degree in Integrated Teaching through the Creative Arts from Lesley University, and her Educational Specialist Degree in Technology Management and Administration from NOVA Southeastern University. After teaching for two years in Thomas County, she moved to Brunswick. During her off hours, Leslie has enjoyed performing on stage with the Island Players, Brunswick Actors Theatre, and the Kingsland Station Players.

Leslie met her husband, Denny McBrayer, a lieutenant with the Glynn County Fire Department, when they were members of a Country/Southern Rock Band. Leslie sang and Denny was on drums. They live in Darien, GA, with their two children, Jack (13) and Sammy (10).

If you can't find Leslie, she is probably at Walt Disney World with her bestie, Dara.

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.