Meet the Team

The staff of First United Methodist Church of Sarasota is dedicated to bringing people to Christ and serving the community and the congregation through worship, mission, and spiritual support. Each person has his or her own role , but all work together to serve the local church and to honor Christ's Holy Church.

Rev. Dr. Sam Wright

Senior Pastor

MORE INFORMATION

Affectionately known as “Dr. Sam,” Rev. Sam Wright, born in Indiana, is the oldest of four children. He earned a Ph.D. in biblical studies. He has served Methodist churches of Florida since 1994 and was appointed Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Sarasota on July 1, 2016.

In addition to being a pastor, Dr. Sam has a passion for both teaching and writing. He has taught at universities and seminaries in Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, and Brazil. He has also written Sunday School curriculum and articles for theological journals.

He and his wife Yvonne suffered the tragic loss of their son in 2013. Their personal journey through the grieving process is the basis for his book Heartbreak to Hope: Overcoming the Anguish of Grief. This 2016 publication has helped many people find their way through their grieving. The book is available in the church office and on www.amazon.com.

Dr. Sam’s first volume of a series entitled Smart Aleck’s Guide to the Bible is a humorous look at the stories of the Bible and also an introduction to the Bible for non-Christians. This book is also available in the church office and on www.amazon.com.

Dr. Sam and Yvonne’s daughter Rebekah Joy lives and works in the local area. She tells all that her cat Max is quite affectionate, especially to those who dislike cats. She has a sense of humor similar to her father’s.

Dr. Sam’s favorite part of his job is “the people.” When he is not tending to the needs of his congregation, he enjoys sailing, writing, reading, and photography.

Michael Stuart

Director of Music/Organist

MORE INFORMATION

Michael, a native Floridian, became the Director of Music /Organist in May 2018. His undergraduate and graduate degrees in organ performance are from Baylor University. He has been the Principal Organist for FUMC, Houston, and Associate Organist/Choirmaster at Peachtree Road UMC, Atlanta.

Michael has often performed with Sarasota and state symphonies and orchestras. With both organ and piano talents, he has often appeared as an organ soloist and has toured the British Isles in concert performances. He delights in meeting new people and spending time with his family and daughter Chloe. Michael, the man of daily unique socks, continues to bring innovations to the music program of First United Methodist Church.

Rev. Robert (Woody) Woodward

Associate Pastor

MORE INFORMATION

Pastor Woody, a native of Maine, has been a counselor, police officer/deputy sheriff, nonprofit CEO, professional magician and entertainer, and an innkeeper. He has been chair of numerous statewide non-profit organizations, an elected municipal official, and a consultant in non-profit management and leadership. Later he was called to ministry, eventually serving as the Associate Pastor of a United Methodist Church outside of Portland, Maine.

Pastor Woody and his wife Dee moved to Sarasota in 2018. He volunteered at Gocio Elementary School for a year teaching Drama while waiting appointment as a pastor. He joined the FUMC staff in 2019 to help move First United Methodist Church beyond the walls of the church, and has facilitated online study groups, hosts the GriefShare program, handles all marketing and communications, works with the Gocio Elementary Rockin' Readers volunteers, and helps in other areas. He also fills in when Dr. Sam is gone.

Pastor Woody is active with the Sarasota Ministerial Association's HEAART (Hatred Ends As All Rise Together) action team and is a Florida Supreme Court-certified County Mediator, volunteering for the 12th Circuit Court.

Donna Maynard

Director of Ministries

MORE INFORMATION

Donna, born in Virginia and raised in Tennessee, has a degree in English. After moving to Florida to get her Master’s Degree in Education, she taught high school and junior college English for seventeen years, bypassing administration. She has worked for the University of Michigan in survey research, traveling between Ann Arbor and other states. A leader in Methodist churches and the Florida conference, she became a First Church staff member in January 1999.

Her responsibilities fluctuate with the season but include hospitality, new members/sponsors, writing, editing, assisting with worship, organizing, coordinating, and whatever needs to be done. Donna enjoys exercising, traveling, and meets no stranger.

Julie Miller

Director of Finance

and Administration

MORE INFORMATION

Julie Miller is originally from Iowa. She earned a degree in Accounting and Human Resources from the University of Northern Iowa. Since moving to Sarasota, she worked in Accounting for a large HVAC contractor and most recently payroll for a private Payroll Processing firm. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, beach, shopping and cheering for her favorite team: the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Joyce Johnson

Pastoral Care Assistant/

Faith Community Nurse

MORE INFORMATION

Joyce and late husband David both became active members of the church in 1993 after moving to Florida from Indiana and Illinois. Joyce taught at the University of Evansville (Nursing Program). Joyce became the volunteer Faith Community Nurse in 1993 then the Pastoral Care Assistant in 2003. She connects with and watches over untold members of the church family and others who are ill, whether at home, in the hospital or other facility. With her caring heart and vast knowledge, she makes life, sometimes death, much easier to face. She has also been a chaplain at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. She has four children, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Her hobbies are reading, knitting, and certainly people.

Tammy Ralston

Administrative Assistant

MORE INFORMATION

Tammy grew up in Northeast Ohio surrounded by a huge sports-loving family which prompted her to excel in basketball and became one of the top 50 players in the state.

Family members began relocating to Sarasota; Tammy eventually followed. Later she went back to school at the University of Akron for addictions/mental health counseling classes. She also volunteered with Springtime of Hope and the Peter Maurin Center to help feed and clothe the area’s homeless.

Tammy fell in love with graphic design while in high school, creating advertisements for a local newspaper. In Florida Tammy worked in the substance abuse field while continuing graphic design as a freelancer. In 2020 she published Our Journey magazine, a recovery-based magazine serving those new to recovery as well as those with long-term sobriety in the Sarasota-Bradenton area.

Baron Garriott

Contemporary Worship Leader

MORE INFORMATION

Baron, Director of Praise Music for the contemporary service since 2015, shares his variety of musical talents with the First Church family and other musical groups in the community. He has traveled the United States and Europe in music and acting roles for over 40 years. Not quite native, Baron was born in Cincinnati and came to Florida age 9 with his parents and one younger brother. He has two daughters and a son who grew up as First Church kids. Baron tells everyone about his loving and generous church family.

Marc Nordstrom

Technology Coordinator

MORE INFORMATION

Candy Bell

Director of Early Care Center

MORE INFORMATION

Candy started her career in our Early Care Center in 1993, working as a toddler and lead teacher until she became the ECC Director in 2020. Her credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and a VPS endorsed Director’s Credential (and a big smile). She says the best part of her job is, “The brightness in the children’s eyes as they see me each day.” Candy is from Indiana where she still visits her family. Her hobbies are reading, antiquing, and watching sports. A member of First UMC, she is a frequent volunteer for many projects.

Maria Mossbarger

ECC Office Manager

MORE INFORMATION

Maria has lived most of her life in Florida, even graduated from Sarasota High School. She began her career with children as a teenager working in the nursery of FUMC and has worked with Early Care (ECC) since 1997. She has been the office manager since 1999. A major portion of her work is the financial ins and outs. She also assists with all aspects of the day-to-day operations. Her passions are the children and connecting with their families. Her vacations are mostly spent traveling and hiking in national parks. Her exercise is walking her two dogs. As a member of First United Methodist Church, Maria also serves in a variety of capacities.

Shelby Smith

Nursery Attendant

MORE INFORMATION

Shelby Smith is originally from Burlington, Vermont. After 28 years in sunny Florida, she is a Florida girl. Shelby has two boys, 21 and 2.

The beach and underwater are her mental therapy, as she loves most water sports, including scuba diving.

After 20 years of being a professional hair stylist, she traded the shears for books and cuddles and is now doing what she has always wanted to do, teaching little ones in FUMC’s Early Care Center.

Mike Pepe

Sound Engineer

MORE INFORMATION

Mike is a retired special-ed school administrator from Staten Island, NY. He and his wife Gerri moved to Sarasota in 2021. Mike played bass professionally and worked as a recording engineer in a small commercial production studio in NY. Later he earned a BA in Psychology, an MA in Educational Psychology, and an MS in School Administration and Supervision. He worked for the NYC Department of Education, first as a paraprofessional then as a special-ed teacher. He spent the last 15 years of his career as an assistant principal. He has a passion for wildlife and landscape photography.

Kerry Sanders

Custodian

MORE INFORMATION

Kerry moved from NW Illinois in early 1981 to Palm Beach County, FL, and has been in Sarasota since 2016. He had planned on becoming an elementary school teacher in 1994 and attended Florida Atlantic University. When circumstances in his life changed, he put his teaching on hold and went into property maintenance and security. Kerry enjoys creative and uplifting writing, painting images through words, and making abstract sketches and art using color markers. His house has over 15 tapestries of all sizes and bright colors on the walls – even on the ceiling. He has done 12 years of beach drumming in circles around Florida and worked as a security officer at about 250 concerts over a 7-year period, allowing him to listen to reggae, India instrumentals, Native American flute, and late 60’s and 70’s music.

Jeff Croy

Custodian

MORE INFORMATION

Jeff, originally from Maryland, moved to Florida in 2017. With a background in construction, he thrives on the challenges of bringing projects to life. Fueled by an abundance of energy, he's always on the lookout for the next exciting endeavor to tackle. When he is not at the church, you'll likely find him pumping iron at the gym – a passion that keeps him in top shape. Beyond that, he has a soft spot for animals, embracing an affinity that adds an extra layer of joy to his life.

MORE INFORMATION

Jeff, originally from Maryland, moved to sunny Florida in 2017. With a background in construction, he thrives on the challenges of bringing projects to life. Fueled by an abundance of energy, he's always on the lookout for the next exciting endeavor to tackle. When he is not at the church, you'll likely find him pumping iron at the gym – a passion that keeps him in top shape. Beyond that, he has a soft spot for animals, embracing an affinity that adds an extra layer of joy to his life.

Rev. Dr. Sam Wright

Michael Stuart

Rev. Robert (Woody) Woodward

Donna Maynard

Julie Miller

Joyce Johnson

Tammy Ralston

Baron Garriott

Marc Nordstrom

Candy Bell

Maria Mossbarger

Shelby Smith

Mike Pepe

Kerry Sanders

Jeff Croy

Plan Your Visit