News

First UMC Announces Two Newly Appointed Pastors

Welcome Mike Densmore and Miriam Smith!
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Andy Moutardier, Chairperson for the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, announced in church this past Sunday that the Bishop has appointed two pastors to fill the vacancies left by Pastor Denise and Pastor Stephen this coming June.  Here is a little more about them, as well as contact information so that you can personally welcome them to the Alabaster First UMC family!

Brother Mike Densmore

A graduate of Russell School and Benjamin Russell High School, Mike was active in the football, wrestling and baseball programs. Post graduate work includes research projects with professors at University of Michigan, Thunderbird University, and Harvard and a Fellowship at MIT during a thirty (30) year career with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company where principal responsibilities included directing global strategic initiatives and leadership development. Upon retirement from Goodyear, Mike attended Emory University and completed theological studies and is currently the  pastor of Duncan Memorial UMC and the Assistant Superintendent of The Southeast District of the North Alabama Conference.
 
Mike’s wife, Patsy-Coe, grew up in Birmingham and was raised in the East Lake UMC.  Recently retired from a career in education spanning job assignments in four states, she is navigating new territory. In addition to her education career, she served churches in two conferences as a licensed local pastor. Her interests include teaching yoga, serving on the boards of Tallapoosa County DHR and Alex City Kiwanis Club, and enjoying her family, friends, beautiful music, gardening and times of stillness with God. 
 
Patsy-Coe and Mike, married 31 years, share their life and home with two cats, Sugar and Brudda, and one dog, Pepe. Patsy-Coe reigns as CEO of the Densmore household.    Major sources of life and deep joy are Harper, age two, who lives in California with her parents, Jay and Jen, and Kaedy, age two, who lives in Gadsden with her parents Robert and Suzette.
 
Mike and Patsy Densmore
4534 Highway 22E
Alexander City, AL 35010 

Pastor Miriam Smith

Miriam grew up in Mountain Brook, and went to college at Birmingham-Southern, where she received the President’s Award, given to the graduating student who best exemplifies the values of a BSC education.  This coming May, Miriam will be graduating from Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC, with post-graduate degrees in both Divinity and Social Work.

Her family lives in Birmingham and both parents work for UAB. She has two sisters, one who is graduating from Samford, and the other a junior in high school.  Miriam grew up in Homewood’s Trinity United Methodist Church, and while in college, she was a founding member of the Community Church Without Walls in West End (Birmingham).

During her studies at Duke, she has since had the opportunity to serve in a variety of ministry contexts–from a rural food pantry to a United Methodist Children’s Home, as well as several churches throughout North Carolina. In the summer of 2011 Miriam worked for Highlands UMC in downtown Birmingham, and helped out at Restore with our tornado relief efforts!

Miriam Smith
1417 Watts Street, Apt A,
Durham, NC 27701 

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News from the Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair, Andy Moutardier
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We are excited to announce Lauren-Michael Sellers has joined Alabaster FUMC as a Music Ministry associate. Her initial responsibilities will be to direct the Joyful Noise Children’s Choir, serve as a “section leader” in the Chancel Choir and provide special music for the 8:30 AM Traditional Worship service. Over the past few months Lauren-Michael has lent her talents to our church as a member of the praise band at the 8:30 Restore Service and most recently she took part in the Christmas Eve Bluegrass worship service. We believe Lauren-Michael’s gifts in music will be an “instrumental” asset to our growing music ministry at Alabaster First and look forward to seeing how God works through her to help us expand his Kingdom.

If you ever have questions about the work of the Staff-Parish committee, please feel free to contact me. 
Yours,
Andy Moutardier
Chair, SPRC