Staff

	Senior Pastor Reverend Rex A. Dickey Rex Dickey is the son of the late David Dickey, Sr. and Dot Dickey who now resides in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Rex is married to Cindy Edwards of Earle, Arkansas and they have a daughter, Sarah, a graduate student at Duke University, and a son Ben, an undergraduate at NWACC. Both Rex and his wife, Cindy, are life-long United Methodists. Rex received his Bachelor of Arts from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas in 1984, and his Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1988. Ordained elder in 1991, Rex has been in ministry for 25 years. He currently serves on the Arkansas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as the Chair of the Order of Elders. You may contact Rex at rex@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 204.
	Pastor of Discipleship Reverend David Ruehr David Ruehr was commissioned as a Provisional Elder during the June, 2012, session of the Arkansas Annual Conference held in Fort Smith, Arkansas, shortly after graduating from Asbury Theological Seminary in May, 2012. Pastor Dave’s passion and enthusiasm for small group ministry and mission and outreach fit well with our Vision 2020 goals. David is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended Trinity UMC with his family. His wife Emily is from Ohio, and they met in Wilmore, Kentucky in undergraduate school at Asbury College. They have two young children: a son, Drew and a daughter, Abigail. Read Pastor Dave's small group blog by clicking here. You may contact Dave at david@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 224
	Music Director Miles Fish Miles has been the music director for FUMC Bentonville since 1996. He rehearses and conducts the chancel choir, youth choir and various vocal and instrumental ensembles. Miles has been a Methodist music director since 1973 and involved in church music since 1960. From the University of Arkansas, he holds a BA in Journalism and Communication and a BA in Music; from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, he holds a Masters of Music Arts in conducting. Post MMA studies include SMU Dallas Perkins Church Music studies and SSMA summer studies in conducting in Siena, Italy. Since 1996, he has also been a faculty member at Northwest Community College where he teaches Music Theory, Basic Musicianship, Music Appreciation, The History of Rock and Roll and conducts various vocal ensembles including the Chamber Singers and The Jazz Ensemble (www.nwacc.edu). Prior to NWACC, he enjoyed a teaching career as a Junior and Senior High school teacher. In 2001, Miles was the founding conductor/artistic director of the Civic Symphony of Benton County that was renamed Arkansas Philharmonic in 2008. In 2002, he accepted a staff teaching/conducting position at a summer American school for musicians at the University of Siena, Italy and remained there for 5 summers. In 2008, he began one of four summer sessions studying with Italian conductor Gianluigi Gelmetti at Siena, Italy's Accademia Chigiana (http://www.chigiana.it/index_ing.htm). For more information about Miles, click www.MilesFish.info, or you may contact him at miles@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 207.
	Children's Director Sara Harris Sara was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas and attended St. Paul United Methodist Church with her family. She graduated from Northside High School and attended Arkansas Tech University, where she graduated with a BS in Math Education. In 1988, Sara married Jeff Harris, with whom she has two sons, James and Jake. She began her ministry at Bentonville FUMC as Children's Choir Director in 1992 and became Director of Children's Ministries in 1999. In 2005, Sara became the Praise Team Director, and served as leader through June, 2012. Though she has many responsibilities at FUMC, Sara feels blessed to be able to serve in two areas of ministry she loves most, children and music. You may contact Sara at sara@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 222.
	Minister to Youth Brandon Bates Brandon is the son of Ben Bates and the late Gelene Bates, and brother of Lee Bates He grew up in Beebe, AR ("Your Dream Hometown"). He was raised in Beebe First United Methodist Church, was an active youth in ministries on the local, district, conference, and Jurisdiction levels while in high school. Brandon is a 2002 graduate of Hendrix College, earning a degree in History. While studying at Hendrix he served as a youth minister at Goddard UMC (summer), White Hall UMC, and St. Paul UMC in Searcy, all while being a district youth co-coordinator. Before graduating he began serving as youth minister at Benton FUMC. Later he went to serve at Lakewood UMC in North Little Rock, before coming to serve at Bentonville in September of 2011. His other areas of service have been: Little Rock Conference Youth Coordinator, Arkansas Conference Youth Coordinator, Financial Coordinator of the South Central Jurisdictional Youth Team, and twice selected as one of 12 Jurisdictional delegates to the quadrennial Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly in Johannesburg and Berlin. Brandon enjoys his repeated call of being a minister to and with youth, especially helping provide opportunities for youth to be connectional and to live out their faith by being in service to God and to others. Spending time with family and friends, good laughs, good conversations, good movies, good foods, good trips, good tv shows, and good music are the things he appreciates. Brandon can be reached at 479-273-2712 or brandon@fumcbentonville.org.
	Church Administrator Kathy Safreed Kathy was born and grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma where her family was active members of the First Methodist Church. She graduated from Henryetta High School in 1973 and from Northeastern State University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Kathy joined our staff in October, 1995. Prior to her work in the Methodist Church, she worked as an accountant in the oil and gas industry for thirteen years. She and her husband, Bruce, met in college and married in 1978. They have two grown children, a daughter, Kelly, and a son, Sean. They moved here from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 1993. Kathy loves the many hats she wears in doing her job and values serving her church and church family. You may contact Kathy at kathy@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 221.
	Communications Director Laurie Dereszynski Laurie was born and grew up in the state of Michigan. She graduated from Greenville High School in 1979 and graduated from Central Michigan University with a B.S. in Computer Science in 1984. After several years working as a software engineer in the Dallas area, she returned to school to earn an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from the University of North Texas. Shortly after moving to the Houston area, she met Michael, who became her husband in 1996. They relocated to Bentonville in 1997; Laurie and Michael are parents to one son, Noah. Laurie enjoys reading, fitness, scrapbooking and photography. After nearly 15 years as a member of FUMC, Laurie joined the staff in 2012 and feels she is exactly where she needs to be. You may contact Laurie at laurie@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 212.
	Finance Coordinator Anna Boyd Anna was born in Houston, Texas but spent most of her time in a small rural town, Schulenburg, which is half-way between Houston and San Antonio. Graduating from a Catholic High School class of 24 people, she attended Texas A&M University in education and graduated with a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Incarnate Word. After ten plus years in the CPG industry and owning her own antique business, she went back to education and taught Language Arts and Social Studies at a small Catholic school for eight years and completed her M.Ed. in Educational Technology. Upon the trasnfer of Anna's husband, Joe, to Bentonville, Anna began teaching online courses with the University of Phoenix and is now also the Financial Coordinator for FUMC. You may contact Anna at anna@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 203.
	Associate Director of Children's Ministry Mary Calcote Mary was born in Louisiana and was raised in the Arkansas River Valley. When Mary married her husband, Jerry, in 1993, they became a blended-family with five children. Through the years, their family has grown to include 7 grandchildren, with more on the way! Mary has worked for several non-profit agencies which serve abused and neglected children, those with special needs, and has extensive experience in early childhood. The one common thread woven throughout her life is children and families. Mary has never forgotten the challenges of being an underprivileged child and is thankful for those people God placed in her life as she was growing up. Mary is truly humbled to serve her Lord by working with His children, and the opportunity to "pay it forward." You may contact Mary at mary@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 206.