Staff update

As of July 1, our recent staff realignment becomes complete, and we are so very excited about the opportunities that have opened to us to reach our community for Jesus Christ.


Dr. Nathan Attwood continues to serve as our Senior Pastor.


Rev. Rebecca Rutherford is now Senior Associate Pastor and will lead the organization of our worship teams and develop our discipleship offerings as she continues to lead the new congregation in Cottondale, Restoration UMC.


Rev. Cole Moore is now Pastor of Youth and Mission. He will continue to lead our growing youth ministries as he becomes our point person for mission projects and becomes the pastor of Malone UMC.


Rev. Nichole Mayo is now Pastor of Program and Care. She will provide support for youth and children's ministry, organize our pastoral care ministries, and lead event planning as she becomes pastor of Greenwood UMC.


Rev. Lauren Cowan will serve as Pastor of Engagement, leading children's ministries, young people's Sunday school, and evangelism work. She will serve Marianna First UMC exclusively in order to support the other pastors' ability to serve the cooperative parish.

Welcome Pastor Lauren Cowan!

We are so pleased to officially welcome Rev. Lauren Cowan to our church staff as Pastor of Engagement. Her primary focus will be engaging young families, especially for Sunday morning ministries. She will head our children's ministries, develop Sunday school for children, youth, and young adults. She will also be redeveloping our Evangelism work to give consistency to our guest follow-up and fall calling.  


Pastor Lauren is no stranger to Marianna First as she has been connected to our church and community for the past seven years. She holds an M.Div. from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and a B.A. in Religion from Huntingdon College. For the past three years, she has served as pastor of Bethel UMC in Hall Co., GA, and has also served on staff at St. James UMC and First UMC in Montgomery, AL, where her work focused on children's ministry, membership records, and general pastoral support.


Lauren and her husband, Cody, have been married for seven years and are parents to seven-month-old John Parker. Welcome!