Charlie Stevens is no stranger to the rural Methodist Church setting.
Stevens grew up in Hefflin, Ala. where his father was the Baptist preacher. After traveling across the Southern Midwest in ministry, he spent the bulk of his 15 years as a youth minister in Carlsbad, N.M.
The last five years, he has been the pastor for a Methodist Church in Stanton, Texas.
Stevens feels like the years as a youth pastor gave him some insight into his ministry and helped prepare him for his later pastoral role.
“I was able to work under some phenomenal Methodists ministers who mentored me a little bit on how to do this,” Stevens said. “I didn’t come out of college and start pastoring, I actually had some experience in watching people.”
Stevens replaced Reverend Ruby Moultrie on July 1 as the new minister at First United Methodist Church, located at 201 E. Foster in Pampa.
“I love it in Pampa,” Stevens said. “Stanton, Texas had three restaurants and Pampa has more than that and they’re open often.”
Stevens received his bachelor’s degree in history/political science at Mississippi College and did his seminary training at Asbury Theological Seminary.
As he gets more settled in at FUMC in Pampa, he is looking to grow the Kingdom of God both inside the church and the community.
“First United Methodist Church has a history in this community of doing some great things,” Stevens said. “My goal is to build on the work that has already happened and to work and grow the Kingdom of God in the City of Pampa.”
Stevens is married to his wife, Autumn, who will be teaching at Lamar Elementary this upcoming school year. The pair have two children, Lois Marie, who is a junior at McMurry University and Mac, a sophomore at University of Texas-Permian Basin.
