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 Robert McDowell, Senior Pastor
Robert McDowell serves as Senior Pastor of First United Methodist
Church in Lancaster, Ohio, which is part of the Capitol
Area South District of the West Ohio Conference. Before
his appointment at First United Methodist Church in
Lancaster in 2009, Robert served churches in Xenia,
Toledo, Findlay, Quincy, and Lima. Originally from
southeastern Pennsylvania, Robert moved to Ohio in 1985
to attend United Theological Seminary in Dayton and
during that time decided to become a member of the West
Ohio Conference. Robert's life mission is to joyfully
live out the good news of Jesus Christ through word and
deed so that his family, his church and his community
will know and embrace God’s hope and promises for their
daily living. He is married to Penny and they have two
young adult children, Naomi and Than.
 Sam Halverson, Associate Pastor
Sam has served here at Lancaster First UMC since
October of 1996 with his wife, Kathy, son, Jesse, and
daughter, Megan. Sam moved to First Church from Marietta,
Georgia, where he also served as an associate for six
years mostly in the area of youth ministry. Sam has also
served at Lovers Lane UMC in Dallas, Texas, and Northbrook
UMC in Roswell, Georgia. Sam has been ordained in the
United Methodist Church since 1988 and has served in the
area of youth ministry at each of his appointments.
In addition to his ministerial appointments, Sam has also
written much youth curriculum for the United Methodist
Publishing House and Group Publishing. In 1990 he wrote a
series of devotions for the Youth Bible (Word/Group
Publishing). In 1996 his first book, 55 Activities for
Youth Groups, was published by Abingdon Press, and another
smaller book, Open Doors, Open Arms, was published by
Abingdon in 1997. In 2001 Sam's book, Destination Unknown
(Abingdon) was published,
and most recently, in 2006, Destination Unknown 2. Sam is a graduate of Candler
School of Theology (Emory University, Atlanta) where he
received his Master of Divinity in 1987. He enjoys
writing, cooking, playing guitar, listening to music,
hiking, and spending time with his family.
 Cheryl Foulk, Visitation Minister
Cheryl is a native of North
Carolina and graduated from Duke University in 1973 with
a B.A. in Sociology. She received her master of
Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1979.
Since that time, she and her husband, Ben, have served a
variety of churches in the West Ohio Conference. (Both
are ordained Elders in the Conference.) Serving in
separate parishes, the Foulks have been appointed to
churches in Cincinnati, the Lima area, Zanesville and in
Baltimore. Her last pastorate was for eleven years at
New Zion UMC in Baltimore. Ben presently serves as
pastor at Lithopolis UMC. The Foulks have two
daughters: Azure (Joe) Koehler, who is a postpartum
nurse at Mt. Carmel East Hospital, and Esther, who is an
Art Education major at Ashland University. Cheryl was a
participant in the Academy of Spiritual Formation
(through the Upper Room) from 1996-1998. The Foulks
enjoy music, movies, reading and travel. |
