Rev. Brad Humphrey, Senior Pastor

It is an honor to be a pastor working with great people. I have been in the ministry since the age of 17 and have found the people of Faith to be some of the finest people I have ever met. My call is to make disciples. I believe that each person has been called to be a disciple and to make a disciple. The scriptures are our source and instruction book that guides us in faith and action. The spiritual disciplines and means of grace enable us to grow and experience God in a meaningful way. I want to make sure that each person is a part of a faith community and are able to use the gifts they have been given. I want to make sure all people feel welcome and invited to attend our church. I pray our worship services are engaging and meaningful. I seek people who want to join me on this Christian journey to become all that we can possibly be.

I want to personally invite you to become a part of our faith family.

Facts and Figures
Married to Janie since 1973.
Two children and 5 grandchildren.
Has served churches in Shawnee, Oklahoma City, Davis, Muskogee, Okemah and Broken Arrow.
Served the Wesley Foundation at the University of Oklahoma from 1989 to 2008.
Was appointed to Faith in May of 2008

Rev. Katie Brown, Associate Pastor

Rev. Katie Brown grew up in Madill, OK – in the arms of beautiful Lake Texoma. She heard God’s call to ministry during her college years at East Central University, while working on a degree in Biology Education. After college, she went to Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. After returning to Oklahoma, Katie served in the Panhandle for seven years – first as the associate pastor at Victory Memorial UMC in Guymon then as the director of the United Methodist Student Center at Panhandle State University and the pastor at Morning Star UMC. Katie was appointed to Faith UMC in June, 2009. At Faith UMC, Katie’s focus is discipleship which includes education, missions, and spiritual formation. She is passionate about growing disciples by studying the Word, serving the world, and spiritual disciplines. She is also passionate about reaching young adults with the Good News.

Rev. Erma Pregler, Associate Pastor

Rev. Erma Pregler grew up in southwest Oklahoma in the Lawton-Fort Sill area. She received a B.A. degree in Communications from Cameron University. She has worked in churches her whole life teaching all ages, leading committees and organizing projects. After a 23-year career with PSO-AEP she answered the call to ordained ministry. Erma has served in pastoral positions in four United Methodist Churches in the Oklahoma Conference since 1996. She graduated with a M.Div from Phillips Theological Seminary in 2005 and has been appointed to Faith United Methodist church since then.

At Faith UMC Erma serves as Associate Pastor of Congregational Care. This includes all aspects of care ministry, senior adult ministry, homebound ministries, women’s ministries, Stephen Ministry, and hospitality. Erma leads our newcomer classes, teaches our 4th Grade Bible Explorers each fall, assists with youth confirmation, leads a weekly women’s Bible Study, facilitates adult classes on Wednesday evenings and assists with worship services. She works as a volunteer with DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services) and teaches child abuse prevention classes at the David L. Moss Correctional Institute for women.

Erma is married and has two sons and one daughter-in-law.

Rev. Pregler is available to conduct memorial services, funerals, grief consultation, pre-marital counseling and weddings.

Timothy Putnam, Minister of Worship & Arts

From a very early age Timothy was exposed to a broad spectrum of musical styles. In fact, some of his earliest memories are of plunking out familiar melodies on the piano. Timothy received a call into vocational ministry in third grade at a Northwest Texas Conference camp.

Timothy received a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis on Vocal Performance from Southwestern College, a United Methodist school in Winfield, Kansas. He also studied the theology of worship in the context of Church history at Asbury Theological Seminary.

He has been involved in worship arts leadership since 1996, and has served churches in Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma. He joined Faith's staff in August of 2008.

To Timothy, worship goes far beyond questions of musical style or personal taste. Rather, worship deals with our becoming living sacrifices unto God. His personal definition of worship is "Extolling the characteristics and acts of God in thought, word, and deed." How we think, what we say, and what we do — not merely what we sing — encompasses our worship to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is Timothy's passion to see the worldwide Church recapture historic, Biblical, vibrant worship that draws her into deeper relationship with God.

Linda Berrey, Admin. Asst. Worship & Arts

A native of Plainview, Texas, Linda graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in journalism and English. In her 35-year career she has worked for a daily newspaper, taught high school English, served as education and youth director at a mid-size United Methodist Church and worked as publications editor for the Chautauqua Institution, a learning and retreat center in western New York.

She and her husband Phil have two sons, Rob, who works in the film industry in Portland, Ore., and Adam, a graduate student in anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh.

Charlotte Toler, Pianist

Charlotte has held the organist/pianist position in many churches throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and as far west as Gunnison, Colorado, where she also had the privilege of accompanying the 1979 Colorado All-State Choir in concert and the 1978 community choir and orchestra's presentation of Handel's Messiah at the Congregational Church in Crested Butte, CO. She came to Faith UMC having previously served as choir director and pianist at Coweta UMC for 11 years.

She is a full time employee of Saint Francis Hospital in Medical Transcription. She enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, working in the yard, and retreating to the mountains each summer.

Greg Leslie, Director of Media Ministries,
Director of Echoes of Faith Handbell Choir

Currently a freelance video editor, Greg has over 30 years experience in video and audio production, graphic design and voiceover work. He has headed up the Faith Tech Team for about ten years, and can usually be found mixing audio for the 9:40 contemporary service.

Having loved music all his life, Greg first participated in a handbell choir twenty years ago in Oklahoma City with his wife Kay. When they moved to Tulsa and joined Faith, they wanted to continue playing, so they founded Echoes of Faith in 1997. In addition to bells, Greg also plays saxophone and occasionally directs orchestra and other instrumental ensembles at Faith.

Heather Scherer, Minister of Youth

Heather Scherer is a seminary student, mother of teens, and lifelong United Methodist. She comes to Faith after taking a few years off of Youth Ministry to concentrate on her own children. Heather grew up in Okmulgee, OK, graduated from Southern Methodist University and plans on becoming ordained in the near future. Faith is Heather’s fourth church to serve in Christian Education in the last fifteen years.

Laura Eldridge, Director of Extreme Tweens

Laura and Mike moved their family to Tulsa in February of 1996. Longtime members of McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, they immediately set out looking for a new church home. Several of the larger churches had been suggested to them and a great youth program was an essential element of the search. After visiting some of the larger churches and not finding one that seemed to fit a friend said she had heard great things about children who went to Faith UMC. So the next Sunday they packed up the family and headed down the street to Faith. Their seventh grader was immediately welcomed in to the youth group, the younger ones loved the children’s area and Mike and Laura felt like they had found a home!

A career change several years ago allowed Laura more time to be involved with church activities. Between taking a Disciple Bible class for the first time and co-teaching the 7^th grade confirmation class a change was taking place in her life. Feeling called to do more, a “chance” encounter in the pastoral offices led to the opportunity to think about the job as Director of the Extreme Tweens. After a long talk that evening with her husband and God she knew this job was the one she was looking for.

The mission orientation of Faith and John Wesley’s exhortation to “do all the good you can” are a perfect fit for the Extreme Tweens. Growing their faith in Christ by helping both their community and those less fortunate is the heart of this group. They are the hands and feet of Christ!

Beth Gibson, Director of Children's Ministry

Beth and her family have been attending Faith since 2001. After moving here from Kansas City in 2000, and shopping for a church for a year, they found their church home in Faith after their first visit. Beth quickly served as a VBS leader and began teaching many of her children's Sunday school classes. She thought she was very content in her "volunteer status", until a call from the pastor changed all that. He was calling to ask her to consider interviewing for the Children's Director Position. She quickly said "oh no, no, but thank you," and hung up. But, God had other plans. The thought continued to tug at her heart over the next few days, when her cell phone rang, and the call said GOD. She had programmed the church into her cell phone as that, but never had it been such a call. The tugging won over and Beth has never looked back. She loves her work with the children of Faith, and the wonderful people that she shares her days with. She, her husband Allen, and their children Grant and Claire feel very blessed to call Faith home.

Jackie Wilkerson, Pre-School Director

Jackie was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and lived in Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Virginia before landing in Tulsa in 1988. She joined Faith and started teaching at the Preschool that same year! Mission work, Disciple Bible study and Special Angels are some of the activities that keep her focused on God's word and will in her life.

Combining her passion for children and love of learning, serving as the director of the Preschool has been the perfect place for Jackie to answer God's call. It is a privilege to be able to share God's love with the children and their families and to encourage and support them in their daily lives. It is also a lot of fun!

Marla Hollis, Administrative Assistant

Marla has been a Faith employee since March of 2005. As administrative assistant her duties are varied but include maintaining personnel files and working with the Trustees on facility issues. She is a native Texan. She and her husband, Don, moved to Tulsa from the Dallas area in 1995.

Lori Burns, Financial Secretary

Lori was born in Stillwater and raised in Broken Arrow, OK. She is actively involved with her church’s mission committee and enjoys donating her time at the church for special projects and programs. She loves spending time traveling, being with her grand kids, teaching tricks to her three dogs, camping, snow skiing, riding scooters, foreign films and any new adventure. Some of her favorite adventures were moving to Calgary and traveling to Europe – because every day was a new and exciting.

Neisa Lock, Communications Secretary

Neisa Lock has been a member of Faith UMC since 1996. She was hired on staff in August of 1998. She is responsible for compiling the Faith Scroll newsletter and printing the bulletins each week. She is also responsible for keeping our membership records up to date. She and her husband have two adult children. The family has been very active at Faith since joining. Faith is a great place to be and I hope you visit us when you are in Tulsa or if you already live here, we hope to see you on Sunday!

Kathy Dethlefs, Receptionist

If you phone or visit the church office Monday-Thursday, chances are you will be greeted by Faith’s receptionist, Kathy Dethlefs. A native of St. Louis, she received degrees from SIU-Edwardsville and the University of Nebraska. (Go, Huskers!) After 11 years as a speech-language pathologist in Nebraska and Kansas City, she undertook the daunting career of stay-at-home mother. Kathy, her husband, and their two children moved to Tulsa in Fall ’95, joining Faith in May ’96. She is a member of the New Life Sunday School class, Chancel Choir, Echoes of Faith Handbells, teaches Disciple Bible Study, and joined the staff in March ’02.

David Lysinger, Facilities Manager

David joined the staff of Faith in January 2005. As the facility manager, he oversees the daily operation of church property and building maintenance. David attended both high school and college in Tulsa. Coming from the Church of England background, he sees many familiarities from both the Methodist and the Anglican Communion that he says “keeps my life in order”. David has lived in the Tulsa area all his life and he can’t think of another place he could call home.