Hello! I'm Pastor Shannon. I was appointed as the pastor of First UMC of Excelsior Springs in November 2022. I am passionate about discipleship and seeing God's Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. I hold a Bachelor's in Youth and Family Ministry (MidAmerica Nazarene University), a Master of Arts in Christian Formation and Discipleship (Nazarene Theological Seminary), and a Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology. 

I have been married to my high school sweetheart Randy since July 2009. We live in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, along with our two spoiled dogs, Oscar and Jack. Since I grew up in St. Louis, I love to cheer on my favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. I also enjoy drinking coffee, reading good books, developing curriculum, and writing.

Hi, my name is Karen Glamann. I am originally from Sioux City, Iowa but now live in Kearney. I have worked as the Administrative Assistant here at the First United Methodist Church since October 2008.

My favorite thing about the church is the people. I truly enjoy the relationships with my friends here at First United Methodist Church and I enjoy helping people.

I am married to my wonderful husband, Trent and we have two children and one wonderful granddaughter. We live in Kearney and we also have a chocolate lab, named Bear. We love to camp and enjoy water sports. My favorite hobby is reading and traveling when we can. I love spending time with my family.

I organize and orchestrate the business operations here at the church. I assist Pastor Shannon with her scheduling and other responsibilities. I also am responsible for the scheduling of meetings and events here at the church. When you call the church, I'll be the one on the other end of the line! If you have questions or need assistance with anything here at the church, I'll be happy to help.

Hello! My name is Marvin Glenn Byas IV and I am honored to join you as Music Director. I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated with honors (in Academics, Vocal Music, and Theatre) from Oak Park High School in 2013. I studied Vocal Music Education at Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western. I am a lifelong member of The Guild of All Souls and have been a member of the Missouri Choral Directors Association, American Choral Directors Association, & NAfME. I am currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors at The Kansas City Public Theatre.

I have been married to my wonderful wife Billie since June of 2022 and we have a son, Marvin V (“Marvie”), a daughter (Lorelei), and a princess of a dog: Tina. I’ve directed and choreographed many shows for Community, Church, and High School theaters. I’ve served as an Adjudicator for Starlight Theater’s Blue Star Awards and was the ninth Artistic Director of the Jacomo Chorale. I am the founding artistic director of the Marvin Byas Singers and am a member of the Redbeard and Company record label. I have previously served as Choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal (Maryville), Christ Episcopal (St. Joseph), Calvary Episcopal (Columbia) and am glad to be joining your church family during this exciting time. Go Chiefs!

I took on the role as the Director of Treehouse Preschool in Summer 2022. This next year will be my 9th year with FUMC Treehouse Preschool, and I have taught 18 years of preschool. I think so much of this program and look forward to continuing the Treehouse tradition. I feel like preschool should be a positive and joyful experience for children. It is the first step of their education journey, and I'm honored to be a part of that. I live on a farm in Lawson with my husband, Frank, our four children, and my little dog named Ruby. 

I was excited to join the staff as the Assistant Director of Treehouse Preschool in August 2022. I have six years of experience teaching preschool. I grew up in Excelsior Springs and even attended Treehouse Preschool as a child! I have four kids and live in my dream home with my husband, Ethan. In my free time, I love to bake and work on my flower beds. I am passionate about children learning through play and preparing them for Kindergarden.