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Your Pastors & Staff
Our Vision:
Our vision is to be the heart of the city of St. Petersburg,
where people are transformed into disciples by the love and grace of Jesus Christ and empowered to solve the unmet needs in our community and beyond.
Meet Your Pastors
Rev. Bob Martin
Senior Pastor
The Reverend Bob Martin is St. Pete First’s Senior Pastor. He is a native Floridian whose background has entailed many paths that have led him into the ordained ministry. Prior to answering his call to become a pastor in 1993, Pastor Bob spent years working in the secular industries of high tech electro-optical laser manufacturing as well as being a professional recruiter with a national company. His understanding the challenges of what hardworking people go through brings a unique perspective to his teaching ministry as a pastor.
Creating a culture where people can get in touch with the God who created them and know fully His love and desire for them to live their life’s dreams, is central to Pastor Bob’s purpose. Deeply believing, “We all have two innate needs in life: to love and be loved”, Bob focuses on helping others remove the barriers that hold them back from living that purpose and with God’s leading, strives to give others the tools to find a deeper sense of Christian love and calling in life.
Rev. Margaret Rountree
Pastor of Community Life
The Reverend Margaret Rountree is St. Pete First’s Pastor of Community Life. She graduated with her Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia in May 2021, and was commissioned as a Provisional Elder in June in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
She was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and attended the University of Florida for her undergraduate years, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Go Gators!). She is married to Chris who is the Associate Manager of Technical Operations at Global Payments, a technology and software company.
Meet Your Staff
MINISTRY
Derek Weston
Senior Director of Ministry and Church Operations
MINISTRY
Terri Jelks
FUMC Preschool Assistant Director
ADMINISTRATION
Craig Wills
Facilities Director
ADMINISTRATION
Kelly Bonyata
Communications Director
MINISTRY
Alicia Clements
FUMC Preschool Director
WORSHIP
Loren Russell
Director of Contemporary Worship
ADMINISTRATION
Peggy Reynolds
Business Administrator, Counseling Center
ADMINISTRATION
Chad Simonds
Hospitality Coordinator
MINISTRY
Lora Ulrich
Director of Children's Ministries
WORSHIP
Rick Nay
Organist
ADMINISTRATION
Susan Johnson-Clayton
Financial Secretary
ADMINISTRATION
James Schellhaas
Audio Engineer
MINISTRY
KayLee Bennett
Director of Youth Ministries
ADMINISTRATION
Sharon Binder
Business Administrator
ADMINISTRATION
Kendra Aumack
Pastors Administrative Assistant
& Special Projects Coordinator