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OUR LEADERSHIP

OUR PASTORS

Lucas Ramirez

LUCAS RAMIREZ

Senior Pastor

See bio
Steve Temmer

STEVE TEMMER

Associate Pastor

See bio

MINISTRY STAFF

PAIGE GOBER

Church Administrator

See bio
Elaine Brown

ELAINE BROWN

Office Administrator

See bio
Erica Larsh

Erica Larsh

Director of
Communications

See bio
Stacy Oliver

STACY OLIVER

Director of
Children’s Ministries

Sophia Holloway

Sophia Holloway

Interim Director of
Youth Ministries

See bio

DEBORAH MCILRATH, PHD

Director of
Sacred Arts

See bio

Joan Mobley

Sacred Arts Assistant

DAVID WOOD

Groundskeeper

See bio

JENNIFER TINDALL

Director of Wesley
Academy of Early
Learning

See bio

MELISSA HURT

Assistant Director
of Wesley Academy
of Early Learning

See bio
Dale Provenzano

DALE PROVENZANO

Director of
Wesley Arbor

See bio

Wesley Academy of Early Learning teachers

Tabitha Cross

Elyssa Dixon

Reagan Earls

Paige Foster

Gianna Girardo

Layla Hughes

Latoya Jackson

Sarah Matthews

Michelle Mathis

Abbie Mock

Dana Mock 

Katelyn Mock

Carla Noble

Lillian Paris

Denise Pittman

Andrea Porter

Lacy Scola

Shannon Smith

LaKeisha Ulmer

Martha Verduzco-Rodriguez

Kathy Yeomans

Rev. Lucas Ramirez

Senior Pastor

Rev. Lucas Ramirez is a man transformed by the love of Christ, driven by a passion to equip others to become changemakers, leaders, and innovators in their communities.

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Lucas immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child. He grew up in the northeast, where he earned his undergraduate degree from Eastern University and later completed his master’s degree at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

A published author and sought-after keynote speaker, Lucas is known for his compelling storytelling and ability to inspire diverse audiences. He has been featured on FOX & Friends and spoken at prominent events such as TEDx, Liberty Convocation, Southern Innkeepers of America, corporate conferences for Kaiser Permanente, and the Catalyst Conference, among others.

Lucas counts his greatest blessing as his marriage to Thea Ramirez, his college sweetheart and the Founder and CEO of Adoption-Share. Together, they have three children and live in Coastal Georgia with their two dogs, Wally and Waffles. Lucas believes he might just be the luckiest guy alive.

Rev. Steve Temmer

Associate Pastor

Rev. Steve Temmer serves as the Associate Pastor at Wesley Church at Frederica, bringing a deep passion for ministry and a heart for shepherding God’s people. He is devoted to preaching, teaching, and pastoral care, guiding the church community in faith and service.
Before joining Wesley Church, Steve co-founded Centered for Life, a Christian nonprofit counseling center, with his wife, Debby. Dedicated to supporting emotional, mental, physical, relational, and spiritual well-being, Centered for Life has served the Golden Isles community for over a decade. His commitment to Christ and his desire to see lives transformed have been at the heart of his ministry.
Steve is blessed with his wife, Debby, their daughter, Kailey, son-in-law, Conrad, and their cherished grandson, Hudson. Now fully dedicated to the Lord’s service at Wesley Church, he continues to invest in the spiritual growth of individuals and families, encouraging them to be deeply rooted in Christ.

Our Leadership

Church Administrator

Currently serving as Director of Program Ministries, Paige Gober supports the various ministries of the church to include Bible study formation, nurture, and ministry outreach. She also helps in scheduling and executing various ministry events in the life of the church. Her passion for ministry is helping members of all ages find the joy and satisfaction of getting connected in the body of Christ through their gift of service and growth in Bible study.
Paige taught preschool at Wesley for three years prior to coming on as full-time staff in December 2000. She completed a degree in Early Childhood in 2007 at College of Coastal Georgia. She and her husband, Scott, live on Saint Simons and have two children. Her daughter, Tiffany Wieberg, is married to Andy and lives in Gainesville, Georgia. Her son Hunter and his wife Paola live in Brunswick.

Our Leadership

Office Administrator

Elaine Brown is originally from Decatur, Alabama, and graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration. She and her husband, Adam, relocated to Brunswick in 2005 where she has gained considerable administrative experience over the past several years. Elaine and Adam have two sons, Connor and Whitt. Outside of the office, she and her family enjoy traveling to national parks to experience God’s beauty reflected in nature.

Our Leadership

Director of Communications

Erica Larsh is a dedicated community member with a passion for service and creativity. She holds an MBA from The Citadel Graduate College and moved to Brunswick in 2024 with her husband, Curt, and their three children. Erica’s professional background includes experience as a teacher, multimedia consultant, and photographer, reflecting her commitment to education, communication, and the arts.

 

Erica is deeply involved at Wesley Church, where she finds joy in playing handbells, singing in the choir, and participating in church activities. She also enjoys volunteering at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Erica’s love for Wesley Church and her enthusiasm for serving others shine through in all she does, as she continues to plant seeds of kindness and faith throughout the Brunswick community.

Our Leadership

Director of Sacred Arts

Dr. Debbie McIlrath, Director of Sacred Arts, holds a B.A. in Music with an emphasis in piano and voice from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree from Valdosta State University in Music Education with an emphasis in choral directing, and a Ph.D. from Liberty University’s School of Music in Christian Worship.
Over the years, Debbie has served as music director in several churches across the South Georgia Conference of the UMC, full-time and part-time. She retired as a music teacher in Georgia Public Schools after 28 years of service, K-12. She was an adjunct instructor in piano at Georgia Southwestern University for four years, and a supervising teacher for student teachers in music education at Columbus State University while teaching at Shaw High School in the Muscogee County School System in Columbus, Georgia.
As a choral director, her High School, Middle School, and Elementary School choirs consistently received Superior ratings at Large Group Performance Evaluations and First Place wins in choral competitions in Atlanta, Georgia, and NYC. Her students sang at Carnegie Hall, attended All-State Chorus, All State Reading Chorus, and Georgia’s Governor’s Honors Program.
Debbie is a member of G.M.E.A. and holds lifetime memberships in A.C.D.A. and Tri-M Honor Society. She currently serves on several boards for the arts in the community and resides with her husband, Rev. Jim McIlrath, who retired from the UMC, in Brunswick, Georgia, and pastors Taylors Methodist Church.

Our Leadership

Groundskeeper

A lifetime resident of Saint Simons Island, David Wood is married to Judy, and they have one daughter and three beautiful grandchildren. David has over 30 years of experience in turf and ornamental maintenance and is a state-certified pesticide applicator. He loves spending time with his family, but he also loves his time on the grounds at Wesley. He considers it a blessing to not only serve the folks of Wesley but also to be able to worship with them.

Our Leadership

Director of Wesley Academy of Early Learning

Jennifer Tindall started working at Wesley Academy of Early Learning in 2002 and taught every age group throughout her years of employment. She had the honor of becoming the Director of the school in 2023. Jennifer graduated from Brunswick High School and is in the process of earning her associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. In the meantime, she has earned her director’s training credentials and completed her yearly continuing education courses.
Jennifer has an inherent love for children and constantly sets the bar high at providing only the highest level of service to her students, parents, and staff. The mission of the church infuses all that she does. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and her grand doggie.

Our Leadership

Assistant Director of Wesley Academy of Early Learning

Melissa Hurt proudly serves as the Assistant Director for Wesley Academy of Early Learning. Before accepting the position of Assistant Director, she served as a teacher for a variety of age groups here at Wesley Academy for 17 years.
Originally from Atlanta, Melissa and her husband Johnny moved to the Golden Isles in 2005. She was blessed to have taught for a private school in Atlanta from 2003-2005 but was eager to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and move to the coast and closer to the beach.
In addition to Melissa’s love for teaching, she has a true passion for animal welfare as well as art appreciation, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She loves being able to instill the love of God into the hearts of the precious children of Wesley Academy.

Our Leadership

Director of Wesley Arbor

Dale Provenzano and his wife, Ellen, moved to St. Simons in 1990 and joined Wesley almost immediately. Both Ellen and Dale held leadership positions on many Church Boards and oversaw the youth program from 19962010. Their 2 children, Danny and Jennifer, went through confirmation and were baptized at Wesley, enjoying many years in our youth program. Dale has been part of and has led the Agape Sunday School Class for 32 years.
Dale enjoyed a long career in the Hospitality Industry, after graduating from Georgia Tech, as an executive with Six Flags and Marriott Resorts. He has sat on many State and Local Boards and Commissions, including Chairman of the Glynn County Commission and Joint Water and Sewer Commission.
In 2015, he accepted a position with the Georgia Alzheimer’s Association, as a State Board Director, after experiencing this heinous disease with his father and Ellen’s mother. Together they have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Alzheimer’s research and worked to help those who need care. Dale is excited about the rebirth of Wesley Church and the Arbor Program, and our commitment to ministering to those Seniors in our Community who need extra care.