Jay came to PHUMC from the Division on Ministries with Young People at the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN where he was the Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development with Youth for the United Methodist Church and the Director of Youth 2007- the largest UM youth gathering that the UMC sponsors. Jay grew up in Walnut Ridge, AR and is a graduate of Arkansas State University-Jonesboro and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

He has served as the Director of Youth Ministries at FUMC Forrest City, Marvell, Huntington Avenue- Jonesboro, Walnut Ridge, Mountain Home and Benton. He has been involved as an adult and student in United Methodist district and conference activities since 1983. Jay has also traveled around the United States leading games and doing workshops with young people. Outside of the local church, he also served on the staff of the New England Conference and as the young adult minister at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew UMC in New York City and represented the UMC at the campus ministry of Columbia University. He is also a reserve delegate from the Arkansas Conference to the South Central UM Jurisdictional Conference and will be directing the first ever Young People’s Address at General Conference next spring.

Jay says: “I am a relational youth minister. To me, youth ministry is relational. Relational to me means: my relationship with youth individually and helping meet their needs and wants to grow spiritually and in their personal commitment to God through the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Jay and his wife Karen have a son named Quin. Together, they enjoy travel and the theatre (onstage and as audience members).