First United Methodist Church
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
- Senior Pastor: Larry Varvel
- Associate Pastor: James Hunt
- Minister of Worship Arts: Larry Mitchell
- Director of Student Ministries: Mindy Burdette
- Associate Director of Student Ministries: Matt Oberdick
- Director of Children's Ministries: Christi Chalker
- Associate Director of Children's Ministries: Karen Lawless
- Director of Care: Lynn Archibald
- Business Administrator: Kathy Glassco
- Communications/Membership Secretary: Cheryl Hildebrandt
- Financial Secretary: Tammy Lind
- Receptionist/Office Assistant: Francie Pardee
- Discovery Learning Center Preschool Director: Vicki Bonner
- Childcare Coordinator: Sheila Bolton
- Weekday Childcare Coordinator: Tonya Innis
- Joyful Ringers and Orchestra Director: Kent Ruppert
- River Rocks Praise Band Leader: Jay Prine
- Audio Technician: Tom Martin
- Visual Technician: Trisha Prine
- Custodian: Diane Sherry
- Custodian: Craig Olsen
E-mail LarrySenior Pastor Larry Varvel was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1959. His family moved to Tulsa in 1971 and Larry graduated from Tulsa Memorial High School in 1978. Larry then attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman as a National Merit Scholar where he was awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Letters in 1981 and a Master’s degree in Philosophy in 1983.
In 1983, Larry moved to Pasadena, California to attend Fuller Theological Seminary. While in California, Larry met and married his wife Jeanine, a Pasadena native. Larry graduated from Fuller with a Master’s degree in Divinity in 1986 and was ordained as a United Methodist pastor that same year.
Prior to his coming to Broken Arrow in 2003, Larry served as the Associate Pastor at Wesley UMC in Oklahoma City (1986-1988), pastor of the First UMC of Atoka, OK (1988-1990), OK; pastor of Quail Spring UMC in Oklahoma City(1990-1997), and Senior Pastor of the First UMC of Ada, OK (1997-2003). While serving in Ada, Larry was awarded the Denman Award for Excellence in Evangelism by the United Methodist Foundation for Evangelism.
Larry has an extensive background in musical theater and drama. He has appeared in productions at OU and Theatre Tulsa, and has written and performed biblical monologues and short plays. His hobby is collecting comic books and super-hero memorabilia in general, and Batman memorabilia in particular. He has been written into comic books; the fictional 'Rev. Larry Varvel' in DC Comics' Supergirl is based on Larry.
Jeanine Varvel has a degree in child development from California State University and has worked in each of their churches in the area of children’s ministry. Larry and Jeanine have three children: Patty, an Elementary Education major at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Lainie, a senior at Broken Arrow High School, and Andrew, a sophomore at Broken Arrow South Intermediate High School. Lainie and Andrew are current members of the Pride of Broken Arrow Marching Band, Patty is an alumna of the Pride.
The Varvel family enjoys vacationing in the mountains, at the beach and snow skiing. They have a cat, Waldo and a dog, Squirmy.
E-mail JamesJames was born in Talihina, OK and later moved to Henryetta where he graduated high school. He went to college at Oklahoma State University where he graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. This is also where he met his wife Hilary.
E-mail LarryRev.
Larry began his career in church work at the age of 14 as assistant organist at Trinity United Methodist Church in Tulsa. When he was 16 he took a position as organist at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church in Tulsa. In 1971-72 he was assistant organist and assistant youth choir director at McFarlin UMC in Norman, Oklahoma. After touring with the Air Force Band from 1978-1982, Larry worked as Minister of Worship Arts at St. Mark’s UMC in Tulsa from 1983-1995. He held the same position at First UMC in Claremore from 1996-2001. Larry has been Minister of Worship Arts at First UMC Broken Arrow since October 2001.
Larry’s professional training includes an undergraduate degree from OU in English with study in organ and piano, an undergraduate degree from TU in music education with emphasis in voice and piano, a master’s degree from TU in choral conducting, and seminary work at Perkins School of Theology at
Larry has two sons, James and Jon. James is currently attending the
Larry’s interests include bicycling, weight training, golf, shooting skeet, hiking, and reading.
E-mail MindyMindy grew up in Tulsa and was proud to raise her two wonderful kids, Cole and Haley, in Broken Arrow. Her family joined FUMC in 1983 and Mindy began working in the youth ministry in the mid 90’s. Her amazing husband, Jimmy, to whom she’s been married almost 30 years, is her “right arm” in ministry here at First Church where she has been the Director of Student Ministries since June of 1997.
Mindy believes it is an honor and privilege to work with middle school through college age students and to help bring them to a deeper commitment and closer relationship with Jesus Christ, and considers herself richly blessed by the students and leaders who’ve touched her life over the last 12 years.
E-mail MattMatt Oberdick, born and raised in Broken Arrow, graduated from Broken Arrow Senior High in 2003. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communications.
Before coming to FUMC BA in the winter of 2008, Matt served on the student ministries staff of Journey Church, in Norman, OK., for a little under four years.
Matt has a passion for youth and seeing their lives forever changed through an encounter with Jesus.
E-mail ChristiChristi earned her Bachelor's Degree at the
Christi has been a member of FUMC-BA for over 18 years and the Children's Director for the past 17 years. As Director, she oversees any event for children from birth through fifth grade.
In 2005 she felt a calling to work with the elderly and shut- ins of the congregation as well. So with the hiring of an assistant to the children’s department she has been able to assist the ministers with care ministries. From home and nursing home visitation as well as hospital calls Much of her time is spent sending cards and keeping in touch with the senior adults of the church. She has had Stephen Ministry Leadership training and helps the
In her spare time, Christi enjoys watching college football, stamping, shopping, collecting Beanie Babies and Noak's
E-mail KarenKaren Lawless has been on staff since 2005 as the Assistant to the Children’s Director. She also works with Discovery Learning Center as the preschool’s Enrichment teacher.
E-mail LynnLynn grew up in Missouri and graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Human Relations at OU/Tulsa.
She moved to Tulsa in 1981 and met her future husband, Bob, at Getty Oil where they were both employed. They were married in 1982 and their twin sons, Matthew and Mark, were born in 1984. Mark, an engineer, is married and lives with his wife, Audrey, in Dallas and Matt lives in Tulsa and is a video editor at Channel 6 News.
E-mail KathyKathy first came to
Kathy is a lifetime Methodist. She and her family continue to serve their faith in the
When she is not at church, her interests are her daughters, Molly & Jenny. In her spare time, Kathy also loves to paint.
E-mail CherylCheryl graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. She met her husband Scott at OSU and they married in November, 1986. Cheryl and her husband Scott have been members of First UMC since Oct. 1990. They have 4 beautiful children: Adam, a sophomore at Oklahoma State University; Chelsea, a freshman at OSU and Morgan and Megan, 8th graders at Lincoln Christian School.
Cheryl's many duties include maintaining the church calendar, membership database and church website. She publishes the weekly newsletter & bulletins.
You may submit newsletter articles by email at fumcba@fumcba.org. Please put "Newsletter Article" in the subject line. Article deadline is Thursday before the week of publication.
E-mail TammyTammy is a 1986 graduate of Broken Arrow Senior High School. She previously worked as an Administrative Secretary for First Christian Church, BA. And, has previous accounting experience. As your Financial Secretary Tammy is the one you contact if you have questions regarding you gifts to the church.
Tammy and her husband, Bill have been married 19 years and have three beautiful children, Erica, is a Junior at Haskell Indian University in Lawrence, KS., she has her Associates in Science and is working toward her Bachelors Degree, she plans to become a Pediatric Dentist; Bobby is a Junior at Union High School, he is a varsity linebacker for the Redskins and he plans to attend college to become an Orthodontist; and Jacque is a Freshmen at Union Intermediate High School, she is very creative, energetic and athletic and she plans to attend college to become a doctor. Tammy is very involved in her children’s lives and their activities.
E-mail FrancieFrancie Pardee grew up in this church. She is a wealth of information about the history and people that have worshipped here.
Francie has a wonderful gift of making people feel welcome which makes her the perfect person to serve as our receptionist. Francie also helps with many office duties such as attendance records and scheduling of Weddings.
E-mail VickiVicki attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. While there she met her husband and moved to Broken Arrow in 1980. They have three children and one grandchild.
Vicki has been a life long Methodist and a member of FUMC – BA since 1983. While at FUMC – BA, she has taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, volunteered as a youth sponsor and has served on and chaired various committees of the church. Vicki started working for the Discovery Learning Center in August of 1986 as a teacher. She later became the bookkeeper and was later named the Director of the preschool in 1996.
In her spare time, Vicki enjoys sewing, handwork and, of course, children.
E-mail SheilaSheila was born and raised in Cordell, Oklahoma where she attended the First UMC with her grandparents. After graduation in 1993 Sheila moved to Tulsa to attend the University of Tulsa. She joined our childcare staff in November 2009 and then January 2010 became the Weekend Childcare Coordinator.
E-mail Tonya
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E-mail Trisha
