Church Staff

Our Church thrives because of the energy and style of our staff.  Here are a few of the people that make our church community special.
Matthew Marino, ​Music Director
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Matthew has been working as a music director in the Methodist Church for the past ten years. He also teaches private piano lessons. Music has been a part of his life since he was very young. He also plays the trumpet and has sung in many vocal ensembles. Matthew is married to Melinda and together they welcomed their daughter Emily to their family in March of 2021. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family. 
Cathy Murray, Organist and Handbell Director
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Cathy is originally from Gowanda, New York.  Her Music Degree from Ithaca College has provided her the ability to play in many churches and teach private lessons.
Arne Kesler, Bookkeeper
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Arne is thrilled to be on staff at First United Methodist.  He retired from accounting in the paper and aerospace industries.  This career led he and his family to take up residence in Lakeside, AZ, Kansas City, Atlanta, Savannah, Long Beach and Tucson.  Arne has been married to his wife Beverly for forty five years and they currently live in Peoria. They have four grown children and four grandchildren.
 Hobbies include golf, fly fishing, gardening, writing and attending Grand Canyon University basketball games.  He looks forward to getting to know all of the great folks at First United Methodist.
Mark Cwik, ​Audio/Video Technician
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Mark is originally from Poland.  He moved to the United States back in 1994, spending most of his early adulthood in beautiful New England.  4 years ago, he and his family moved to Arizona, where he established his permanent home in El Mirage.  Mark made a career switch from the high-stress financial environment to maintenance/custodial work 8 years ago. Currently Mark is serving as audio/video technician at First Church.
In his almost non-existent free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his 3 beautiful girls and wife, and likes buying and selling stuff on Ebay and Amazon.

Kelli New, Office Manager

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​Kelli has a varied background in accounting and office management.  She lives in Sun City with her husband, Dave, and both enjoy a huge assortment of sports. They certainly take full advantage of all the amenities and recreation centers in Sun City, as well as the delightful weather Arizona has to offer!

Steven Lippold, Custodian

 Steven lives in Peoria, AZ. His hobbies include R C Cars, and building military model kits.