Clergy

Rev. Cathy Weigand
Lead Pastor

Cathy Weigand never wanted to be a pastor, so it is a surprise to everyone (including herself) that she has been loving the work of ministry for more than 25 years. With a religion major and a psychology minor from the University of Iowa, Cathy went on to get her Masters in Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with an emphasis in ethics. Cathy and her husband, Rev. Mike Weigand, have four adult children.

Cathy has most recently served at Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church in Oshkosh. She is the chair of the Order of Elders in the Wisconsin Conference and in that role is also on the Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry. She traveled with Love Prevails to General Conference in Portland in 2016, and was in St. Louis in 2019, protesting the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community by the denomination. Cathy has learned the importance of showing up and standing up. She is committed to this way of living her faith, even when she gets it wrong and even when her voice shakes.

608-234-5189
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Rev. Ran Yoo
Associate Pastor

Ran began her ministry at First Church in July, 2021. Ran is originally from South Korea. She was born and grew up in the Korean Methodist Church, she studied theology at the Methodist Theological University in Seoul, South Korea and then studied at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL for her Master of Divinity. Ran is an ordained elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church. Her vision for ministry is to revitalize the church spiritually and physically, and to help everyone to live a new life by being transformed by faith. Her husband Kook Ho Kim is a pastor of Concordia United Methodist Church in Prairie Du Sac and a chaplain in U.S. Army Reserve. They have two children, Caleb Yeonjun Kim and Christine Yuna Kim.

608-467-5108
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Rev. Mallory Yanchus
Deacon, Youth, Young Adult, and Justice Ministries

Mallory joined our staff at First Church in June 2022. She came to Madison in 2017 and spent almost 5 years as the Executive Director of The Crossing Campus Ministry just down the road, on campus. Previously, she has served both campus and youth ministry in Illinois. In 2015 she received her Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. She is pursuing Deacon’s orders in the United Methodist Church. Mallory’s call to ministry is centered on ministry with youth and young adults and she is excited to be living into this call with First Church. Her husband, Dan is an Ambulatory Access Manager at UW Health. As Illinois natives, Mallory and Dan (plus their dog Nora) are glad to be putting down roots in Wisconsin, and they live on the west side of Sun Prairie.

608-338-1288
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Rev. Nancy Childress
Assisting Pastor for Pastoral Care

Rev. Nancy Childress joined our staff in January 2022. A native of Arkansas, Nancy earned a Bachelors in Humanities at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She earned her Master ‘s of Divinity from Duke University in 1985. She served a year long residency in Pastoral Care at University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, VA. Ordained a deacon in 1984, she continued the ordination process in the Virginia Annual Conference. She was ordained a full elder in 1989. 

Upon moving to Northern Virginia, she pursued her Certificate in Pastoral Counseling. She graduated from the Institute of Pastoral Psychotherapy in 1997. Rev. Childress has served 30 + years in pastoral ministry in a variety of settings to include Children’s Minister, Youth Director, Associate and Senior pastor. She also served as Spiritual Director to two mental hospitals in Charlottesville, Va.

703-851-9338
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Ministry Operations Staff 

Dennis Anderson 
Facilities Supervisor

Dennis is our Facilities Supervisor. He normally works during the week, arriving early, but you’ll often see him here on weekends, too – at weddings, concerts, and community events – lending his helpful hand. (He’s a devoted Packers’ and Brewers’ fan, if you’re looking for a conversation starter.) If you need to reach Dennis, you should call the church office (during office hours).

608-256-9061
Email Dennis  

Garnet
Finance Administrator

Garnet is a born and raised Wisconsinite. She joined the First United Methodist church team in September 2024. She has worked in financial roles for several non-profit organizations including Worker Justice Wisconsin and the Madison Labor Temple, both located in Madison. She enjoys swimming, golfing, UTV riding and reading.

608-338-0158
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Holly Johnson
Director of Audio/Video Technology and Digital Ministries

Holly makes our virtual church possible. In addition to running the sound, lights, and video on Sunday mornings (with the help of some great volunteers), she has taken on the challenge of filming and editing videos for the church. She moved to Madison In 2017 after 20 years of working as an audio engineer in Los Angeles. She also works as a professional quilter. Her hobbies include sewing, reading, and travel. 

Email Holly

Scott Smith
Executive Chef
Hope’s Home Ministries
Loaves and Fishes Kitchen

I grew up in Bloomington Indiana, and ran my first restaurant in Estes Park, CO. I went to Indiana University and returned to Colorado, to work at a convention center in Denver. I returned to the Midwest and have been in Madison since 1990. I’ve been running hotels and convention centers in the Madison area since then. I chaired Madison Festivals, Chaired the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association, and was Innkeeper of the year in Wisconsin, when Tommy Thompson was Governor. I have three grown children all living around Minneapolis, with the last one a Junior in college at UM. I love Sour Dough Bread, Roast my own Coffee beans and love to garden. My wife is a retired Nurse and we love to travel.

608-467-1233
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Ben McKnight
Administrative and Communications Systems Manager

Ben joined the staff in March 2024. He has worked in administrative and communications roles at several churches including Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, First Congregational Church of Berkeley, and Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison. He has two cats and enjoys yoga, meditation, PC gaming, walking, and reading.

608-338-0545
Email Ben