Chris Stanley – Pastor
Pastor Chris is the newly appointed pastor at Flemington UMC and is excited about what God has in store for this community of faith. As a pastor, his foundational conviction is every person is loved by God more than they could ever know or imagine and that the church is called to be a beacon of that incredible, scandalous love to all people. He is passionate about connecting with others and exploring what it means to follow Jesus in our day and age.
Pastor Chris holds a B.A. in Biblical and Religious Studies from Messiah University and an M. Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. Over the years, he has served in various ministry roles ranging from homeless ministry in Houston to overseeing youth & camping ministries in upstate New York to pastoring Methodist churches in New Jersey. Chris enjoys reading, watching good movies, and following the NBA. He has the privilege and honor of being married to his best friend, Rachel.
If you’d like to get in touch with Pastor Chris, please email him
Bruce LaPenta – Lay Leader
Bruce envisions the church community as a family joined not only by a common faith, but by relationships and the need for encouragement and support in all of life’s celebrations and challenges. Bruce considers himself a life-long Christian and member of the United Methodist Tradition. He gave his first sermon at the age of 15, was nurtured by the Methodist Youth Fellowship as a young man, and has served on many different church committees over the years.
A life changing experience on a Walk-to-Emmaus weekend had a profound effect on him and encouraged him to rededicate his life to his Christian journey. He returned to school and earned a Master’s of Theology degree in Pastoral Care with an emphasis on church growth and development from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Since then, he has served as a hospital chaplain, is a certified life coach, and lay leader of Flemington UMC.
Bruce is a professional engineer with degrees from Rutgers University and works in the field of Civil Engineering. He and his wife Beth have been married for over 30 years and enjoy spending time in worship and ministry with their church family.
Bruce looks forward to meeting you, getting to know you, and traveling with you as a friend on life's journey. To reach Bruce, please email or call the church office.
Gretchen Gardner – Administrative Assistant
Gretchen Gardner joined the Flemington UMC team as the administrative assistant in 2017. She has lived in Raritan Township for 27 years, with her husband Glenn. She and her husband raised three sons here in Flemington, and are now enjoying being grandparents!
Gretchen attended Drew University and the University of Delaware, and was graduated with a degree in Anthropology. She was the Office Manager for Hunterdon Christian Academy for 5 years, and an Office Manager at Miracle Dental Associates for 4 years. She and her husband have attended Grace Covenant Baptist Church for 30+ years. She is excited to be able to be back at FUMC to be a servant and a facilitator to Pastor Ben, and all the good people here. To reach Gretchen, please email or call the church office.