Reverend Howard Grimmenga
Pastor of Faith United Methodist Church
Rev. Howard R. Grimmenga, known to us as Pastor Howie, was born and raised in the Chicago area, where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Nancy. They have two daughters and three grandchildren. He was in the U.S. Army for eight years as a satellite communications technician, which brought him to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa in 1977. He worked at Honeywell in Clearwater for over 12 years, during which time he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in business management from Eckerd College in St Petersburg. He accepted Christ in 1980, and became very involved at St. James UMC in St. Petersburg, serving as a lay servant, Sunday school teacher, and on several committees. After a period of time working in various jobs outside of the technical field in Pinellas County, he felt God calling him into the ministry, and he began that journey in 1999. He served First UMC in Cross City, Florida from 2000 -2007, and he obtained his Master of Divinity degree in 2005 from Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando. He was appointed to Wacissa UMC from 2007-2009.
He was appointed to Faith UMC in Hudson in July 2009, and was ordained as an Elder in 2012. Along the way, he also took extensive training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and chaplaincy, since he has a passion and calling for being a chaplain as well as serving a local church. He has an Ecclesiastical Endorsement as a chaplain by the national U.M. Endorsing Agency, and he has worked as a chaplain at Tampa General, St. Anthony’s in St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee Memorial hospitals. He has served as the chaplain for the Dixie County Emergency Medical Services, Wacissa Fire Department, the Pasco County Sheriff’s office, and he is currently the lead chaplain for the Pasco County Fire Rescue Department, a group of chaplains which he organized and began in 2016. He also serves on the Tampa Bay Regional CISM Team, which covers four counties in this area of the state. God equipped Pastor Howie when He called him into the ministry at a later stage of his life, and his life’s experiences and training have enabled him to use those gifts and talents in service to the Lord through the churches and the communities that he has loved so much.
Nancy Grimmenga
Administrative Assistant
Nancy Grimmenga was born and raised in the Chicago area. She attended the University of Illinois, and then became a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines, flying domestic and international routes for two years. She and Howie lived in the walled city of West Berlin, Germany from 1974-1977 while he was in the army, before moving to St. Petersburg. She and Howie both became very involved at St. James UMC in St. Pete, where she accepted Christ in 1977, and she worked as their financial secretary/business manager. She also worked as his administrative assistant at First UMC of Cross City, and worked as the part-time administrative assistant at the North West District Office of the UMC in Tallahassee, before they came to Hudson in 2009. She became the administrative assistant at Faith UMC in 2010, and has served a total of twenty-four years in United Methodist Church administration. She very much enjoys being her pastor-husband’s help-mate, and considers being in church administration as God’s calling upon her life in ministry to Him, using the gifts and talents that He has given her as a lay person.
George Winslow
Worship Arts Director
A lifelong resident of Pinellas County, George has been involved in music since fifth grade. In those early years, he was involved in middle and high school bands. He was an assistant with the Tarpon Springs High School marching band for many years, and was subsequently involved in music ministry at First UMC Tarpon Springs, serving as the Director of the church’s sacred arts school – Integrity Academy. Following that George has served as Music and Worship Director at several churches, including Shady Hills UMC in Shady Hills, Emmanuel Community Church in Palm Harbor, and currently Faith UMC.
Jennifer Morris
Accompanist
In 1980, when Jennifer was a junior in high school, she began playing piano & organ in the church she grew up in because the organist at her church was planning to go to college the following year. Over the past 40 years, She has played for many churches, large and small. She has played for multiple choirs, directed vacation bible schools, childrens choirs, acted and played in dinner theatres, and particpated in many weddings. For her it has always been an act of worship.
David Gray
Financial Secretary
David has over 40 years of experience as a practicing accountant, including positions up to the executive officer level, and as a professional business advisor.
Irene Klotz
Nursery Supervisor
Irene has been a member of Faith UMC for 32 years and a nursery worker for 23 years. She has served on several committees and coordinated many fund raisers. Irene also taught Sunday School for many years and has been leader of the youth group in the past. She also was instrumental in organizing a special needs Boy Scout Troop at the church.
Digital Media Director
Scott Davies
Originally from Western New York, Scott has been living in this area for 30 years and has been a lifelong member of the Methodist church. He has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years including the Pasco County Schools. Scott and his wife have five children and have been very active in the church over the years.