REV. J.W. Barnett
Directing Pastor
Pinckneyville First is beyond excited to have Pastor J.W. and his wife Bethany join the congregation this summer (2026)!
J.W. received his Master of Divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, TX. He is coming to Pinckneyville after serving as the Associate Pastor at both Bloomington Wesley UMC and Bloomington West Olive Faith UMC.
Pastor J.W. was commissioned as a Provisional Elder of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church in the summer of 2025 by Bishop David Bard at their Annual Conference gathering.
J.W. and Bethany will actually be moving into J.W.'s childhood home/parsonage here in Pinckneyville as he was raised United Methodist, and his father served as the pastor at Pinckneyville First UMC for 16 years.
Prior to relocating here, J.W. had a very successful ministry in Bloomington, IL with a flourishing Young Adults Ministry for the 20s-30s community.
J.W. has a gift for speaking and a gift for people. He recently spent a weekend in Glenview, Illinois as a guest speaker for "Ignite: Exploring Your Call to Ministry". The three-day event focused on discernment, fellowship, education, and support as participants explored their unique callings into ministry.
J.W. and Bethany are gifts to this faith community, and we are looking forward to their leadership at Pinckneyville First UMC!
LORI SCHMIDT
Office Manager/Treasurer/Worship Accompanist
Lori and her husband, Don, have lived in the Pinckneyville area since 1991 and have 2 grown and married children. She has been a member of this church since 1995 and shortly thereafter started participating and then directing the Methodist Pre-school and Church Choir. She led and accompanied the church choir until 2020 when so many things stopped.
Shameless plug for more music…she is always listening for more able voices and would love to put a choir together again, even if just once or twice a month, but that still takes practice and commitment. The congregation would also occasionally enjoy hearing musical solos or ensembles praising God with music during worship!
Other past activities included singing and directing the Madrigal Society, being a 4-H leader, serving as secretary to the Foundation for Pinckneyville, and directing the multi-church VBS for several years. Besides working as a tax preparer at H & R Block, she currently enjoys being secretary and public relations director for Perry County HCE and being Nana to two adorable grandchildren.
Lori also likes to scrapbook, paint, craft, and preserve homegrown produce.
JEFF GILTER
Custodian
Jeff is the Mr. Clean of Pinckneyville First!
Also a member of PFUMC, Jeff humbly serves
his church family by always making sure the church building stays squeaky clean, safe, comfortable, and accessible.
Along with being Mr. Clean, Jeff is also Mr. Fix-it!
No job is too big or small for Jeff to tackle,
and he does so out of a deep commitment to serving God's people.
Pinckneyville First is blessed to have him!
