Shining a spotlight on what God is up to in the lives of our congregation, students, and staff. Email lauren@deerlakeumc.org if you're interested in sharing your story.

1) Flying or Road trip? Defend your answer.

Both! (I know, I’m a pain!) If I have a place to be, then I want to get there and enjoy it – whether flying or driving. BUT, if I want to “see the sights”, I’d love a road trip! About 5 ½ years ago, my sister invited my mom, my boys, and I to join her in a work trip to Las Vegas. While she had her conference, the boys and I saw Hoover Dam and then picked up my mom before going to see the Calico Hills – both cool destinations not far from Vegas, but opposite sides of town. We capped off our trip with an overnight stay on the rim of the Grand Canyon and on the trip back to Vegas we traveled on a piece of Route 66 and ate at the Roadkill Café – how could we resist!?! It was a “quick trip” and I’d love to go back.

2) Who are you? How’d you get here?

I have been coming to Tallahassee all my life as my dad’s parents retired here from New York when my dad was still in college. I came to Tallahassee for my own “purposes” and earned my Bachelor of Music Education – Choral degree (with a minor in math and a Certificate in Church Music) from FSU in the 1990s. While at FSU, I immediately got involved in the FSU Wesley Foundation where I gained many friends for life and also met my now husband, Stephen, who was already finished at FSU and working for the State of FL!

When I finished up my internship/degree, we were dating, but also started looking for a new church home. We would always meet at the church on Sunday morning in time for the service (with me arriving first and then waiting in the narthex for Stephen) and for all 5 Sundays in May the greeters at one church (the same people every week) asked me if this was my first time. (Not my idea of fun.) We knew that a friend from Wesley and college roommate of Stephen’s was going to be assigned to another church in Tallahassee in June, so we were basically marking time until we could visit Kelly and his family at their new church. We came on Kelly’s first Sunday (27 years ago) and when we came back the next Sunday, Joan Hoffmann said, ”You’re Kelly and Marybeth’s friends!” and something inside me just rejoiced at being remembered! Well, 27 years ago a good number of the folks here were what I call “little people” and little people have my heart! Those littles have grown (even though I’d rather they didn’t) and now many have littles of their own, but I just love all ages of my church family!! Before joining the church together as a married couple in February of 1996, Stephen reminded me that we shouldn’t choose a Methodist church based on the pastor AND that those little people grow up, but even with those not being “popular opinions” with me, we happily joined this church family, and I can’t imagine life without my family!

3) Tell us something unique about you that we’d never think to ask.

I’m a bit of an ostrich – I don’t really watch TV very much, never read the newspaper or magazines, and the BIGGIE – I rarely have the radio on in my car! If something happened in the world, you probably need to tell me.

4) What are you reading/listening to right now that the congregation needs to know about? (music, books, movies, podcasts, anything!)

As I mentioned, I’m a bit of an ostrich. I can’t tell you the last movie I saw. I don’t listen to podcasts – unless Pastor Bobby shares them with us. I rarely have the radio on in my car (unless one of the other occupants of the vehicle has selections they would like to share), but my favorite music to listen to right now (usually at home via Amazon) is Celtic Thunder, especially their Homeland album.



I love to read, but usually I do so for “escape”. Recently, my sister shared a book that she was listening to while driving by one of her favorite authors, John Eldredge, titled “Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times” and I have started reading that one. I haven’t gotten very far, but I think it’s a great one to share and I’m glad my sister shared it with me!

5) Where do you currently see God at work in your life?

I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing unless God had put me here. Most of you know that I used to be a public-school teacher and in 2019, my plans were firmly in place to return to the classroom in some capacity that fall. Other things happened…lots of other things happened…which first became a push to return to teaching “next year”, but we all know what happened in 2020! With the changes COVID brought to the world and the changes that were already planned for our church and its pastoral leadership, I said that I would “cover the position” until the new pastor arrived and had a chance to make their own choice…2020 was also not the best year to return to the classroom. [Prayers for ALL of teachers and students and all that they have been through these last several years!!!] I am happy to serve my church family, but I sure never would have expected it to be in the way I’m doing now. I make mistakes all the time, but God and my church family continue to love me and have patience with me – for which I am forever grateful!