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Church Staff

GaryMueller.jpgSenior Pastor: Gary Mueller
Gary was born in Pennsylvania and spent most of his growing up years in Kansas. After receiving his B.A. from the University of Kansas in political science and psychology, he graduated from Perkins School of Theology. He pastored churches in Richardson, Clarksville, Trophy Club and Denton and served as the Conference Council Director for the North Texas Conference before being appointed to First United Methodist Church in June 2002. Gary is married to Wink, who retired at a young age after selling her two successful flower shops. Wink and Gary are parents to two adult children. He enjoys gardening, playing golf, reading and spending time with his wonderful family. Gary is privileged to be part of a church in which God has planted such an exciting vision for the future and looks forward to being here for many years.
HollyBandel.jpgSenior Associate Pastor: Holly Bandel

Holly grew up at First United Methodist Plano and graduated from Wylie High School in 1993. She attended the University of North Texas in Denton where she heard the call to ministry as a college student and received her Bachelor’s of Social Work in 1997. Holly traveled to study at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina and received her Master's of Divinity degree in 2000. After graduation, she served as pastor at Anna United Methodist Church in Anna, Texas. In 2003, Holly was ordained as an elder in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church and began serving at First United Methodist Church of Plano. She now serves as Executive Associate Pastor. She is married to Phil Bandel, a media engineer, and they have a son. In her free time, Holly enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, watching movies and, of course, watching Duke Basketball.

DavidGonzalez.jpgAssociate Pastor Hispanic Ministry: David Gonzalez
David was born in Mexico City, Mexico where he was a high school teacher and served as a minister in various Methodist churches. He and his family have now lived in Dallas for more than seven years. David's Spanish-speaking congregation has grown from 4 persons to currently number about 60. His parishioners are natives of Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Salvador ...and with his occasional Anglo visitors he considers his congregation truly "international." David is a full-time teacher's aide with Dallas Independent School District and devotes one workday and one weekend each week to his congregation in addition to home and hospital visitation as necessary. David is taking classes at, and wants to eventually get his Master of Divinity degree from SMU. David and his wife Teresa are proud of their three children.
AliceCoder.jpgAssociate Pastor for Congregational Life: Alice Coder
Alice, a native of North Carolina, has lived in Texas since graduating from Vanderbilt University in 1974. She was an active volunteer and 'home executive' until answering God's call to ordained ministry in 1998. After graduating from Perkins School of Theology in 2002, she served as Associate Pastor at First UMC Garland as Adult Ministry coordinator and staff liaison for Stephen Ministries. She was commissioned in 2004 and appointed to Arapaho UMC where she provided leadership in the Evangelism, Missions, Congregational Care, and Communications committees as well as teaching, preaching, and worship leadership. Alice also serves as a member of the Dismantling Racism Team and the Ecumenical Ministries Team of the North Texas Conference. Alice and her husband Gary have two adult daughters and one son. In her spare time, Alice enjoys reading, gardening, and going to the movies.
Cravens-ed.gifMinister with Students: John Cravens
John grew up at First United Methodist Church in The Colony and graduated from The Colony High School in 1995. He attended Tyler Junior College for one year followed by three and half years at the University of Texas in Austin, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies in 2000. John first felt his call into youth ministry while helping out with camps at Bridgeport Conference Center during summers in his college years. After graduating from UT, John and his wife married and moved to Royse City, Texas where John started his first full-time job in youth ministry. After a year and half there, an opportunity arose in Austin, Texas at Saint John’s United Methodist Church. After seven years in Austin, God had a plan for him and his family to be a part of the ministry family here at First Church Plano. John is married to Carrie, a Social Worker and they have 3 children. John loves watching all UT sports, playing with his children and playing his guitar. 
Mardi-Bowen.gifMinister with Children: Mardi Bowen

Mardi Bowen grew up in Northeastern Arkansas as a PK. For those who don’t know, that means “Preacher’s Kid”!  She moved around quite a bit and graduated from Osceola High School. Mardi then heard the call. Not the one you are expecting, but she heard the call of the HOGS. She went to the University of Arkansas and became a great Razorback fan. After graduating with a degree in Social Work, she answered a more important call. She became an intern and then an Assistant Director of the Wesley Foundation at the U of A.  Mardi met her husband Mike at Wesley and they married in 1996. Mardi and Mike have 3 sons. In her free time, Mardi enjoys going to her children’s sporting events, camping and enjoying the world around her.She is excited to have the opportunity to share her faith with our children at First UMC Plano!

 

MarkLucke.jpgAdult Ministries: Mark Lucke
Mark is a native Texan and has been on the staff of First Church Plano since 1988. He received a BA in Organ Performance at Texas Lutheran University and a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Mark served as a Lutheran pastor for six years before seeing the error of his ways and joining the ministry team at First Plano. He came to Dallas in 1988 to pursue doctoral study in Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University and may some day actually finish his dissertation. Mark served as Associate Director of Music for many years at First Church and is now the Adult Ministries director. His wife is a risk director for the Dallas County units of Child Protective Service. He has two sons and a daughter. Mark enjoys following his favorite pro sports teams (go Cowboys!), reading, playing the piano, and tinkering with expensive electronic toys.
DonnaKirkwood.jpgWeekday Program Director: Donna Kirkwood
Donna has been working with children since she was in high school as a teachers aid, nanny, preschool and after school teacher, and a child care center director. She has a Ph.D. in Child Development from Texas Woman's University. Donna teaches classes in Child Development and Psychology at Texas Woman's University, Collin County Community College, and Eastfield College and enjoys presenting at local, state and national conferences. Donna's idea of fun is spending a day with her nieces and nephews and relaxing at home with her 2 cats.
DaleSwain.jpgMinister with Older Adults: Dale Swain

Dale was born in Akron, Ohio and served in the U.S. Air Force for three years, nine months and seven days during the Korean Conflict. Dale has an under graduate degree from West Texas State, now A. & M. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity Degree, now a Master of Sacred Theology, from Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University. His first pastorate was Lela - Dozier - Heald charge near Shamrock, Texas. Dale came to First United Methodist Plano in October of 2000. Dale has three children and four grandchildren. Dale and his wife, Mary, were married in June 2001.

ChrisCaffee.jpgMinister of Music: Chris Caffee
Chris grew up at First United Methodist Church, Allen and graduated from Allen High School. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education with a double major in Choral Conducting & Voice from Texas A&M—Commerce and has done graduate work at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology and is a Certified Minister of Music in the North Texas Conference. He worked in high school choral music programs in Paris and Greenville, TX and served churches in Wolfe City, Cooper, Winnsboro, Greenville, and Marshall, and Garland, TX and in Lake Charles, LA. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild and is President of the Great Dallas Handbell Association as well as serving as Director of the North Texas Conference Youth Choir Camp at Bridgeport. Chris and his wife Terri have three children and are excited to be a part of the First Church Plano family.
DaveRoberson.jpgDirector of Finance & Ministry Support: Dave Roberson
David was born and raised in Wisconsin. He was educated in accounting at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and studied for the CPA exam with International Accountants Society. After holding accounting and procurement management positions for several years, David got tired of shoveling snow and moved to Texas where he met his wife, Ruth. After receiving training as a Microsoft Certified System Engineer at SMU, he was employed by Baylor Hospital Systems as Manager of Financial Services Support Center implementing new financial software. David feels blessed that his three children also decided to leave the snow behind and live close to him. David and Ruth are mastering the art of spoiling their grandchildren. David participates in Methodist Men, Chancel Choir and Stephen Ministry.
LizApplegate.jpgDirector of Communication: Liz Applegate
Liz has been a member of First Church Plano since 1997 and came to work at the church in 2000. Liz is the proud mother of 3 active teenage boys, a proud stepmother to a grown daughter and son, and is married to a wonderful man, Ken, who she met at First Church Plano. Liz feels very fortunate to work for a loving congregation and blessed to be part of a church family. In her spare time, Liz enjoys spending time with her family, attending her kids sporting events, traveling and making jewelry.
CathyMartin.jpgSenior Pastor's Assistant: Cathy Martin
Born and raised in Monroeville, Pennsylvania Cathy has lived in Germany, Massachusetts, Arizona, Virginia and moved to the Dallas area in 1973. Cathy's career in Human Resources took her to Virginia in 1994 and ultimately back to Pennsylvania. After spending the last eight years downsizing and closing offices she felt it was time to get out of Human Resources and upon the birth of her first grandchild move back to Texas where she raised her two daughters. Cathy feels blessed to be working in such a caring environment and is happy to be part of the First Church Plano staff. Aside from spoiling her grandsons she is an avid reader and yes, a Pittsburgh Steeler fan.
PeggyFinkel.jpgDiscipleship Assistant: Peggy Finkel

Peggy was born and raised in Connecticut, but has lived in the Dallas area since 1982. She previously worked for The Reformed Church in Plano where she served for more than 6 years as Administrative Assistant. Her work experience also has been as second grade teacher and then substitute teacher while raising two sons. Peggy worked most recently for the McKinney Chamber of Commerce, and is happy to be back in a church office environment. She feels blessed to be a part of such a caring and friendly staff. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, biking, traveling, and spending time with her two grown sons, daughters-in-law and two young granddaugters.

Scheduling Assistant: Holly Horne
Holly was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and moved to Plano at the age of 12. She has been working in the administrative field for over five years, working in industries including real estate and construction consulting. She feels she is blessed to work in an environment with such caring people. She enjoys spending time with family and her cat, Jagger.