New Methodist Preacher Is Introduced

The ministry of the Monticello First United Methodist Church has recently been assumed by the Rev. Stephen Soulen, who replaced Dr. John Brown, who was reassigned to a church in Toccoa.

The Methodist utilize what is referred to as Itinerant System, for assignments and reassignments to churches, conducted on a yearly basis by the Bishop of the North Georgia.  

Rev. Soulen has joined the church community along with his wife, Rev. Melanie Stanley-Soulen, who is also an ordained minister.

Rev. Soulen is a graduate of Baylor University and The Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he and his wife met. They are the parents of two grown sons, David and Stan.  David is married to Lauren and they are the parents of Olivia Kate, the first grandchild.

The reverend’s background as a Methodist Minister includes, most recently, four years at Manchester, and prior to that six years at Peachtree City.

This Sunday, Aug. 11, as a part of the community worship program, Rev. Soulen will conduct the evening service at the Monticello Presbyterian Church at 6:30 p.m., while his wife will conduct the regular morning worship at First United Methodist where she will be recognizing all the teachers and administrators in the public and private school systems.

Rev. Soulen indicated that his new assignment was like coming home when he said, “It’s an honor to be here.  We’re coming back to where we were over 29 years ago when I was a student pastor at Shady Dale, where we had our first child and got our first dog, so it’s been fun to reconnect with relationships from the past.”

“I look forward to getting involved in the community.  Melanie and I have always served in a variety of positions where we were glad to serve the community and we look forward to serving in the Jasper County Food Bank, the recreation department, the mentoring program and others.”