Pastors
Rev. Dr. Blake Bradford
Lead Pastor |
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Administrative
Diane Wing
Business Administrator |
Lauren Zavala
Communications Director & Assistant to the Lead Pastor |
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Programs & Ministries
Ashley McNeal
Children's Minister |
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Hospitality & Facilities
Sloane Harper
Director of Hospitality Services |
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Adam Plank
Custodian |
FUMC Foundation
Abbie Cox
Executive Director of the FUMC Foundation
Executive Director of the FUMC Foundation
Learn More About Our Team
Rev. Dr. Blake BRADFORD, LEAD PASTOR
Blake Bradford is passionate about coaching and encouraging Christian leaders in our common mission of making disciples and transforming the world. Blake has recently completed almost a decade of service as a District Superintendent and conference staff member in the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church and is now serving as the lead pastor of First UMC of Fort Smith, a multi-site congregation in Arkansas.
Blake has co-authored several books: IMPACT! Reclaiming the Call of Lay Ministry was written to encourage and equip lay leaders take ownership of Christ's mission and vision of the congregation as it seeks to engage their neighborhood and community. Mission Possible 4: Simplifying Church Leadership (and its predecessor volumes) was created by Blake Bradford and Kay Kotan as a handbook for churches seeking to use the simplified accountable leadership structure often called the “one board model.” Mission Possible for the Small Church expands on his previous work with simplified leadership, along with chapters on small church ministry planning and “leading from the porch swing,” He is also the author of a volume in The Greatest Expedition Series, Strengthening Decision-Making & Governance for New Expeditions.
Blake has pastored churches of different sizes and contexts, including serving as executive pastor of a 3500-member congregation in Little Rock. Before his appointment to the Cabinet, Blake served the Arkansas Conference Center for Vitality as a congregational coach, consultant, and conflict transformation mediator. Dr. Bradford, a graduate of Hendrix, Vanderbilt, Iliff School of Theology, and Perkins School of Theology at SMU, continues to speak at conferences nationwide, and he equips and consults with annual conferences, districts, and congregations in the areas of governance and ministry impact. He assists in the training of simplified accountable structure coaches, and he is also a certified UMC Onboarding Facilitator, helping churches and pastors have a great start in ministry. Learn more and download resources at www.blakebradford.org.
Blake has co-authored several books: IMPACT! Reclaiming the Call of Lay Ministry was written to encourage and equip lay leaders take ownership of Christ's mission and vision of the congregation as it seeks to engage their neighborhood and community. Mission Possible 4: Simplifying Church Leadership (and its predecessor volumes) was created by Blake Bradford and Kay Kotan as a handbook for churches seeking to use the simplified accountable leadership structure often called the “one board model.” Mission Possible for the Small Church expands on his previous work with simplified leadership, along with chapters on small church ministry planning and “leading from the porch swing,” He is also the author of a volume in The Greatest Expedition Series, Strengthening Decision-Making & Governance for New Expeditions.
Blake has pastored churches of different sizes and contexts, including serving as executive pastor of a 3500-member congregation in Little Rock. Before his appointment to the Cabinet, Blake served the Arkansas Conference Center for Vitality as a congregational coach, consultant, and conflict transformation mediator. Dr. Bradford, a graduate of Hendrix, Vanderbilt, Iliff School of Theology, and Perkins School of Theology at SMU, continues to speak at conferences nationwide, and he equips and consults with annual conferences, districts, and congregations in the areas of governance and ministry impact. He assists in the training of simplified accountable structure coaches, and he is also a certified UMC Onboarding Facilitator, helping churches and pastors have a great start in ministry. Learn more and download resources at www.blakebradford.org.
Rev. Abbey Maynard, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE PASTOR
Rev. Abbey Maynard serves as Executive Associate Pastor and East Campus Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith. A lifelong United Methodist, Abbey grew up in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and is passionate about helping people grow in faith, build meaningful community, and discover ways to serve their neighbors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Hendrix College and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and is an ordained Elder in the Arkansas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Abbey enjoys preaching, teaching, and working alongside church members to imagine new ways the church can live out Christ’s love in the community. Outside of ministry, she enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her dog, Izzy.
Abbey enjoys preaching, teaching, and working alongside church members to imagine new ways the church can live out Christ’s love in the community. Outside of ministry, she enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time with her dog, Izzy.
Rev. Janice SudbrinK, MINISTER OF PASTORAL CARE
Diane WinG, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR
Diane Wing has been part of the staff at Fort Smith First United Methodist Church since 2016, becoming Business Administrator in 2019. She brings more than 30 years of experience working in church ministry and administration and enjoys using that experience to support the church, its staff, and its ministry.
What Diane enjoys most about her work is helping people. Whether she is working through a financial question, solving a problem, helping a staff member, or taking care of the many details behind the scenes, she considers it a privilege to serve others and help the church fulfill its mission.
Diane is married and has one daughter and three grandchildren. Outside of work, she enjoys watercolor painting and spending time with her family.
A former pastor once shared a definition of contentment that has stayed with Diane through the years: “Doing what God wants you to do. Being who God wants you to be. Having what God wants you to have.” Those words continue to be a meaningful reminder to Diane of what it means to live faithfully, serve others, and be where God has called her.
What Diane enjoys most about her work is helping people. Whether she is working through a financial question, solving a problem, helping a staff member, or taking care of the many details behind the scenes, she considers it a privilege to serve others and help the church fulfill its mission.
Diane is married and has one daughter and three grandchildren. Outside of work, she enjoys watercolor painting and spending time with her family.
A former pastor once shared a definition of contentment that has stayed with Diane through the years: “Doing what God wants you to do. Being who God wants you to be. Having what God wants you to have.” Those words continue to be a meaningful reminder to Diane of what it means to live faithfully, serve others, and be where God has called her.
LAUREN ZAVALA, COMMUNICATIONS director & ASSISTANT TO THE LEAD PASTOR
Lauren serves as Communications Director and Administrative Assistant to the Lead Pastor at Fort Smith First United Methodist Church since 2025. In her role, she helps tell the story of the church and its ministries through social media, newsletters, and other print and digital communications. She also works closely with the pastoral and ministry teams to help keep church communications clear and connected.
Lauren is passionate about helping people feel informed, included, and invited. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and binge-watching early 2000s rom-coms. She also loves traveling and history and is always happy to discover a new place to explore.
Lauren is passionate about helping people feel informed, included, and invited. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and binge-watching early 2000s rom-coms. She also loves traveling and history and is always happy to discover a new place to explore.
GAIL OAKES, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR LAY MINISTRIES
ASHLEY MCNEAL, CHILDREN'S MINISTER
Ashley McNeal has served as the Children’s Minister at Fort Smith First United Methodist Church since 2021. In her role, she cares for the spiritual lives and development of children and their parents from birth through fifth grade. Through Sunday morning and Wednesday night programming, special events, camps, and other opportunities, Ashley seeks to help children grow in their faith, discover God’s love, and understand that they have an important place in the life of the church.
Originally from Texas, Ashley loves bringing creativity into both her ministry and everyday life. Outside of church, she enjoys thrifting, crafting, and spending time with her pets.
Ashley is grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside children and families as they grow in faith and is passionate about helping the church become a place where every child knows they are loved, welcomed, and valued.
Originally from Texas, Ashley loves bringing creativity into both her ministry and everyday life. Outside of church, she enjoys thrifting, crafting, and spending time with her pets.
Ashley is grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside children and families as they grow in faith and is passionate about helping the church become a place where every child knows they are loved, welcomed, and valued.
TIFFANY PIERCE, OUTREACH DIRECTOR
Tiffany joined our church staff as the Outreach Director in 2022. One of her favorite parts of her role is evangelism, meeting people, building relationships, and helping connect people with the ministries and community here at FUMC.
She also works alongside our mission ministry leaders to serve our neighbors in a variety of ways, from feeding ministries and supporting local schools to helping those in need and partnering with organizations throughout our community.
What first drew Tiffany to FUMC was the way our people genuinely love to serve others. She has loved being part of a church that puts that love into action!
When she’s not at church, you’ll usually find Tiffany spending time with her husband and their two daughters.
She also works alongside our mission ministry leaders to serve our neighbors in a variety of ways, from feeding ministries and supporting local schools to helping those in need and partnering with organizations throughout our community.
What first drew Tiffany to FUMC was the way our people genuinely love to serve others. She has loved being part of a church that puts that love into action!
When she’s not at church, you’ll usually find Tiffany spending time with her husband and their two daughters.
REV. BEN ANDERSON, EAST CAMPUS MINISTER OF CONNECTIONS
BENJAMIN HENDERSON, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC & organist
Benjamin Henderson is from Middletown, CT and is the Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He received his Master of Music in organ performance at Rice University in the studio of Ken Cowan in 2022 and his Bachelor of Music in organ performance from The Eastman School of Music in 2020 and was awarded the Performer’s Certificate while in the studio of Nathan Laube.
His initial organ studies started with David Spicer for four years at the age of thirteen, having taught himself piano a couple years earlier. He has been an accompanist for Public School’s Choirs and other community organizations. In 2015, Ben performed the Final from Alexandre Guilmant’s First Symphony with the New Haven Symphony at the Bushnell in Hartford.
For the summers of 2015 and 2016, he was a recipient of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ Scholarship, which allowed him to study with Alan Morrison, Peter Conte, and Matthew Glandorf at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. While in this program, Henderson had the opportunity to play the largest fully functioning pipe organ in the world – the Wanamaker Organ in the Grand Court of Macy’s Department Store. He is an aspiring composer and greatly enjoys singing.
His initial organ studies started with David Spicer for four years at the age of thirteen, having taught himself piano a couple years earlier. He has been an accompanist for Public School’s Choirs and other community organizations. In 2015, Ben performed the Final from Alexandre Guilmant’s First Symphony with the New Haven Symphony at the Bushnell in Hartford.
For the summers of 2015 and 2016, he was a recipient of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ Scholarship, which allowed him to study with Alan Morrison, Peter Conte, and Matthew Glandorf at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. While in this program, Henderson had the opportunity to play the largest fully functioning pipe organ in the world – the Wanamaker Organ in the Grand Court of Macy’s Department Store. He is an aspiring composer and greatly enjoys singing.
GAYE MINGS, CHANCEL CHOIR DIRECTOR
christie jacobs, wEEKDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR
SLOANE HARPER, DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY SERVICES
Sloane Harper has a rich and storied past with food and hospitality. She caught the bug early helping her ‘Granny’ make homemade buttermilk biscuits for Sunday supper, and loved preparing the table for a weenie roast in the evening shade of summer. Fortunately for us, that love of food and experience never waned!
Sloane is a native of Fort Smith; the Harper family having a deep history and love for the community and her people. (Her grandparent’s first home as a married couple actually sat on what is now part of the FUMC parking lot!) She attended youth group activities at the church growing up and savored the time she spent with friends there. She still treasures her childhood memories while embracing the growth and potential expansion of Fort Smith and the surrounding communities. She is an avid advocate for live music experiences, helping to helm the Peacemaker Music Festival, and fostering rescue dogs…though she keeps more than she fosters!
Sloane attended Milsap’s College in Jackson, Mississippi, which led to her involvement in the hospitality industry. She started young, and serendipity smiled on her. She spent years entrenched in the Kansas City food and wine scene. Always ahead of the trends, she added her own indelible, curated, and cultured spin on the hospitality industry with her years of planning extraordinary events at the revered Kemper Art Museum.
Eventually, ‘all roads lead home’ became too hard to ignore. She wanted to be with family, friends, and a city she knew and loved. She also craved a slower, more intentional life with time to joyfully serve others with her food and her genuine, gentle personality.
Sloane realized she was called to be more thoughtful about the work she does and she has found a perfect match in her role as Director of Hospitality Services here at the church. Her ministry of cooking and hospitality allows her to interact with people from all walks of life on any given day. She provides comfort, joy, laughter, sustenance, and much-needed wellness and wholeness through the care she gives to every encounter. Each opportunity for her reinforces her personal ministry through the lens of cooking, hospitality, and the love of Jesus Christ.
Sloane is a native of Fort Smith; the Harper family having a deep history and love for the community and her people. (Her grandparent’s first home as a married couple actually sat on what is now part of the FUMC parking lot!) She attended youth group activities at the church growing up and savored the time she spent with friends there. She still treasures her childhood memories while embracing the growth and potential expansion of Fort Smith and the surrounding communities. She is an avid advocate for live music experiences, helping to helm the Peacemaker Music Festival, and fostering rescue dogs…though she keeps more than she fosters!
Sloane attended Milsap’s College in Jackson, Mississippi, which led to her involvement in the hospitality industry. She started young, and serendipity smiled on her. She spent years entrenched in the Kansas City food and wine scene. Always ahead of the trends, she added her own indelible, curated, and cultured spin on the hospitality industry with her years of planning extraordinary events at the revered Kemper Art Museum.
Eventually, ‘all roads lead home’ became too hard to ignore. She wanted to be with family, friends, and a city she knew and loved. She also craved a slower, more intentional life with time to joyfully serve others with her food and her genuine, gentle personality.
Sloane realized she was called to be more thoughtful about the work she does and she has found a perfect match in her role as Director of Hospitality Services here at the church. Her ministry of cooking and hospitality allows her to interact with people from all walks of life on any given day. She provides comfort, joy, laughter, sustenance, and much-needed wellness and wholeness through the care she gives to every encounter. Each opportunity for her reinforces her personal ministry through the lens of cooking, hospitality, and the love of Jesus Christ.