Pastor

Melanie Simmons

Local Licensed Pastor – United Methodist Church, UNY conference

Office 315-653-7728
Home 607-674-9527
Cell 607-371-0431

Personal notes:

It has been a profound joy to begin my ministry in 2019 as an April fool for Christ at the South Otselic UMC. As I continue learning about this congregation and church, it seems only fair to share with you a bit about myself.

I grew up on Long Island, on the fringe of society as the child of a nuclear Canadian Lutheran parents in an area predominantly populated by extended Jewish and Italian Catholic families. When I went to college in Binghamton, I discovered parts of New York state were beautiful and met my husband Keven.

Married right after graduating from college, we settled in Sherburne, 4 miles down the road from where Keven’s parents live (Dave & Pam Simmons in Smyrna). We both worked for the pharmaceutical company in Norwich; Keven still works at the plant in North Norwich. We have two sons, who are grown and out of our house now; Timothy is married, working and living in Syracuse, while Jonathan is working in Endicott and living in Endwell. Keven plays in several bands and sings in the Sherburne Community Chorus. I volunteer as an AEMT-CC for the Sherburne Emergency Squad. We both enjoy camping, geocaching, and roleplaying games. I also enjoy cross-stitching; I hung a couple of my pieces in my office.

Although my maternal grandfather (whom I never knew) was a Lutheran minister, my husband Keven had been brought up attending the Methodist church in Smyrna. When we bought a house two doors down from the UMC in Sherburne, I started attending there. Over time, I became more active in the church, taking on a variety of roles in various committees. I took the basic lay speaker class in 1996 and the next year I went advanced (and on a Walk to Emmaus). In the over 20 years of lay speaking since then, I provided services to at least 8 different churches, averaging at least a couple of services per year.

I ended my career in pharmaceuticals to take a management role that did not work out. Faced with the opportunity for another career change, I thought, “If I came into a ton of money, what would I want to do?” I have had tugs on my heart throughout my adult life to serve as minister. However, it was sidelined as I worked in pharmaceuticals; I helped others physically on the ambulance and led church services as lay speaker. It was only after ending my career in industry that my heart was finally open enough to answer this call in a more complete way.

In addition to Sunday mornings, you can be sure to find me in the church on Wednesdays from 11 am to 2 pm and on Thursdays from 1 pm to 4 pm.

As we grow together, I pray for the Holy Spirit to move among us, strengthening each of us in our love of God and of one another.

 Love in Christ,

 Pastor Melanie