Church Staff
I am what some people call a natural born Methodist, meaning I was born into and raised in the Methodist Church. I was baptized as an infant, attended Sunday School as a child, was an active member of the youth group and so on.
I grew up in Port Arthur, Texas where I was active in Scouting, a member of the band, played one year of football, and ran long distance track. I graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School, Port Arthur.
I first considered the ministry as a career when I was fifteen after attending church camp. I talked with my father about my feelings and he advised me to wait and see if this was what I was really meant for or a “mountain top experience.” During the next several years I explored other career interest but there was always something which called me to the ministry. To put it simply, the most natural choice for me has always been and is the ministry.
In August 1982 I entered Lamar University, Beaumont as a student of engineering. While in college I played in the Band and was active at the Wesley Foundation. After exploring several other career interest and even leaving college for a year, I finally accepted my call to preach and completed my B.S. in Political Science at Lamar in May 1989. My college years afforded me an opportunity to test several options as potential vocations but in the end the call of God caused me to choose to serve in the ordained ministry of the United Methodist Church. I graduated from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, with a Masters of Divinity in May 1994.
I publicly declared my candidacy for the ministry on October 5, 1986 at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Port Arthur, Texas. In June 1987, I accepted a student appointment to Midway United Methodist Church near Livingston, Texas (Beaumont District). After serving Midway UMC for two years I was appointed to serve Bascom UMC in the Tyler District in June 1989, to the Ben Wheeler / Stanger Springs Charge in the Tyler District in June 1991, to First United Methodist Church, Conroe, Texas as Associate Pastor in June 1993, to St. John’s Rockdale, Texas in June 1999, to FUMC, Lindale, Texas in June 2003 and have been at FUMC, Fairfield since September 2007.
While at Bascom I met and married my wife, Cynthia Ann Hullum Kethley. Cynthia grew up in Tyler, Texas graduating from John Tyler High School. She has a B.A. from East Texas State University and a M.A. degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. Cynthia enjoys many arts and crafts — especially scrap-booking. We have one daughter, Ashley Hullum Kethley. Ashley is very musical and plays the Flute.
Cynthia Outlaw, Noah’s Ark Director, Weekday Ministries and Organist
Marilyn Toothman, Pianist and Children’s Choir
Chris Owen, Praise Team Leader
Tonya Roberts, church secretary — I am the church secretary. I been with FUMC since October of 2007. I am from Dallas, and I was born on September 15. I am married to Ren Roberts. We have 3 beautiful children together: Kamri 9, Kamren 5, and Airen 4 mos.
