SENIOR PASTOR

LESTER SPENCER

Email:  lspencer@sjlife.com

Dr. Lester H. Spencer, Jr., Senior Pastor 

Dr. Lester Spencer, Jr. is the Senior Pastor (15 years) at Saint James United Methodist Church in East Montgomery at the corner of Vaughn Road and Ryan Road.  Perhaps Dr. Spencer is best known in the City of Montgomery for his “Perceptions” Radio and TV spots aired daily on 96.1, Mix 103.3, Y102, 95.1 The Fox, and the Fox TV Network.

Lester is married to Janeese Lowry Spencer, and they have three children:  Harden (16), Ciara (13), and Joshua (12).  He enjoys coaching his children’s soccer teams with the YMCA, and the most special time of the week for him is Monday night, which is “Family Night” at the Spencer house.

Lester is a big Auburn fan, having graduated from there with his undergraduate degree in 1981.  Later he completed his Masters of Divinity and his Doctorate of Ministry Degree at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

Lester grew up in Montgomery and attended Dannelly Elementary, Cloverdale Junior High School, and Jeff Davis High School. (Class of ’76).  He has served as a missionary to Belize, Central America, and to Mexico.  He has coordinated many Volunteers in Mission work teams to such countries as Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.  He currently serves as the President, Board of Directors for the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church.

His hobbies and interests are golf, sailing, white-water canoeing, scuba, hiking, and traveling.

He loves people and believes that life is a gift from God to be celebrated each and every day.

ASSOCIATE PASTOR

JANEESE SPENCER

Email: jspencer@sjlife.com

Rev. Janeese Spencer, Counselor / Teaching Pastor

Janeese is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and is the 5th of 6 children. She is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She received a B.S. in Psychology from Presbyterian College and a Master's of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She has also completed a 2-year Fellowship program in Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Janeese has served as a Methodist minister for over 25 years.  She has been on staff at various churches including Villa Rica United Methodist Church in Villa Rica, GA, Embry Hills United Methodist Church in Atlanta, GA, Auburn United Methodist Church in Auburn, AL and Saint James United Methodist Church in Montgomery, AL.

Janeese has been pastoring with her husband Dr. Lester Spencer at Saint James for 15 years. Through her spiritual gifts and devotion to our Lord, Janeese was led to begin the RENEW Women's Ministries seven years ago. It is now one of the largest and fastest growing women's ministries in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. She teaches the community-wide RENEW women's bible study with over 350 women participating. The Lord is transforming the lives of women and altering the course for their children and marriages through this extravagant disciple.

Janeese also works closely with and has staff oversight of the Renew Women’s Ministry Leadership Team.  Her vision was to develop a wholestic women’s ministry program that entails coordinating Women’s Conferences, Leadership Development Courses, Missions Programs, Support Ministries, Resource Center, Fellowship Opportunities and more. The women are thriving under this ministry.  This ministry has touched countless lives which resulted in her receiving the Harry Denman Award of Evangelism at the Alabama West-Florida Conference. 

Janeese and Lester have been married 21 years and have 3 children Harden 16, Ciara 13 and Joshua 12.  Along with her love for the Lord and the ministry, she loves being a mother, wife, pastor’s wife and finds great joy in each role she plays!

ASSOCIATE PASTOR CONGREGATIONAL CARE

WALTER ALBRITTON

Email: walbritton@sjlife.com

Walter Albritton, a United Methodist preacher, is currently Pastor of Congregational Care at St. James United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He and his wife, Dean, reside in Elmore county, about 10 miles south of Wetumpka, Alabama, near the Tallapoosa River. They live at 289 Leigh Lane, Wetumpka, AL 36093. Walter retired in 2002 after serving 48 years in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. His last appointment before retirement was to Trinity United Methodist Church in Opelika, Alabama, where he served 13 years as Senior Pastor. He was born March 24, 1932 in Wetumpka, Alabama. After graduating from Wetumpka High School in 1950, he earned degrees from Auburn University and Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He completed the first half of his theological studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School.

Walter was licensed to preach on March 18, 1951, while a student at Auburn University. He was ordained an elder and elected into full connection of the Alabama - West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1958.

Walter married his childhood sweetheart, Dean Brown, on June 1, 1952. They were blessed with five sons: David (deceased), Matthew, Mark, Timothy, and Stephen. They have 12 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Walter has written numerous books, articles, and tracts. Among his books are these titles: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat; You Simply Can't Trust a Talking Bird; Do the Best You Can With What You've Got, Where You Are, While There's Time; An Exciting Saturday Night Ride in An Ambulance; and Lord, please deliver me, I beg you, from another Live Manger Scene.

He writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News. His columns are available on his website: www.walteralbritton.org

ASSOCIATE PASTOR/STUDENT MINISTRIES

JEREMY SMITH

Email: jsmith@sjlife.com

Jeremy Smith is the Associate Pastor of Student Ministries at Saint James United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where he directs and leads the youth and college ministries, as well as sharing in the preaching and congregational care duties.  He graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Alabama in 2003 and a Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2007, and has served four Churches since receiving his call to ministry in 2001.  His ministry is centered around being Passionate Worshippers, Radically Inclusive, Biblically Centered, and Missionally Minded.  Jeremy and his wife, Christy, have been married for five years and have one child.  

ASSOCIATE PASTOR/ WORSHIP AND DESIGN 

VAUGHN STAFFORD

Email:  vstafford@sjlife.com 

I was born in Livingston, AL and moved to Eufaula when I was three.  At age eight my family moved to Anderson, IN where my dad took a basketball-coaching job after winning the state championship in 1978 at Eufaula High.  It was with that high school team that I accepted Christ in a hotel room in Nashville, TN, at age 11.  Just a year later I had my first studio singing opportunity at Gaither Studios with Sandy Patti.  Since then I have sung with many artists through my connection with the Gaithers and been blessed to sing all over North America with numerous touring groups of all kinds.  It has been my privilege to lead worship and speak for most every denomination under the sun as well as at revivals, camp meetings, youth conventions, leadership conferences and the like.

In 1995 I met my beautiful wife, Cindy.  We married in April 1997, just six months after entering ministry.  In August of 1998 we celebrated the birth of our first child, Ellie.   On our eighth anniversary we adopted our son, William, from Russia in 2005.  My passion for seeing God’s people "sell out" to Him completely in worship and life moved me from touring to the local church.  Since beginning ministry in 1996 I have served as Pastor of worship and/or youth at churches in Decatur, AL, Huntsville, AL, Columbus, MS, Tuscaloosa, AL and Marietta, GA.  The churches and roles have varied, but the amazing reconciling God who is faithful has been a constant. God’s extraordinary fingerprints have been so visible in our move to Montgomery.  My family is loving sharing in the ministries of this great church.  We are humbled at the gracious hospitality of this congregation and look forward to catching up with where God is already at work.  God has lead us here and we believe that when His people show up and pay attention it is our awesome privilege to be used by Him to bring His kingdom to the world.

If you are new to our community or have been a part of this church forever I invite you to consider this an invitation to find your ministry with us.  God’s covenant with Abraham was that he would be blessed to be a blessing.  My prayer for you is that by being a part of St. James you will be both blessed and be a blessing.

In Christ,

Vaughn

 

Married 
Yes

Spouse Name 
Cindy

Books (other than the Bible) 
The Shack, Crazy Love, Good to Great, IT, Now Discover Your Strengths

Moto  God will bring good out of anything we give to Him!

Heros 
My Mom and my wife (tell me that doesn’t get exciting)

Foods 
Mexican and Good Steaks

Favorite things to do with my kids Fish, go for bike rides, hike, have “tickle time”, ice skate, bowl and especially “Go to Disney World"

Favorite things to do with my wife Go to musicals, symphonies, movies, dream about the future and of course…“Go to Disney World!”

TV Shows 
The Factor

Movies 
Hoosiers, Napoleon Dynamite and anything Chris Farley

Color 
Blue

Candy Bars 
Zero

Board Games 
Monopoly

Outdoor Activities 
Golf, fishing, tennis, basketball and any other sports

Artists  Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Hillsong, Matt Redman, Kristian Stanfill, Steve Fee, U2, Journey

Cereals 
Lucky Charms and Captain Crunch

Sports Teams 
College-Alabama, Pro-Colts and Pacers

Snack Foods 
Peanut M & M’s and Blue Bell ice cream

KOREAN PASTOR

SUNG HONG

Email: sungkukhong@hotmail.com 

Sung Hong has built up Korean ministry at Saint James UMC since Oct. 2006. He is married to Hye Kyung (Jessica) Hong, and they have two children: Sunwoo Sean (6) and Jiwoo Jenah (2).

Sung grew up in Seoul, Korea and was saved at the age of 10 at VBS. After experiencing joys and challenges of following Jesus, he left behind aspirations of being a scholar and followed God’s call to seminary.

Sung graduated Seoul Theological University with B.A. degree in Korea. As he came into the United States, Sung completed his Master of Divinity degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA. Also he got his Master of Theology degree in Old Testament at Candler School of Theology in Emory University, Atlanta, GA and got his Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies at Luther Rice Baptist Seminary, Lithonia, Georgia.

Sung lives by his favorite verse in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”