I am blessed to be appointed as the pastor of the Mt. Carmel UMC.
Over the past 40 years I have served a variety of churches in Minnesota, New York,
West Virginia and now here in Frederick, Maryland.
Each Sunday I try to bring the scriptures to life during worship,
to strengthen the whole congregation to go out and life their faith throughout
the week. If you are looking for a church home, I invite you to come join us.
Since I retired from ministry in 2019, I have tried to write a hymn a day following in the footsteps of Charles Wesley who wrote over 6000 in his lifetime. At this point I have written over a thousand, but I tell people that they probably won't be any good until I practice with a couple thousand more.
Having had several people tell me over the years that they did not have time for an hour-long Bible study each week, this past year I started a 5-minute Bible study on YouTube. I am currently working my way through the stories in the Gospel of Luke. You can access all of my material on my website www.revchilds.org This fall we will have Bible studies resuming as well as developing some small group ministries.
Pastor Jeff
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Pastor Scott acquired his Licensed Local Pastor credentials in the spring of 2012 and
entered into full-time ministry in July of the same year. Prior to becoming a full-time
pastor, Scott was employed as a licensed electrician for 25 years. He has been blessed
with 34 years of marriage to his wife, Donna, who he proclaims "is my rock, my comforter,
my encourager, and my sounding board."
Scott and Donna are the parents of three lovely children. Meghan, their oldest daughter,
her husband, Jake, and their children, Atticus, Fletcher, and Evelyn. Scott and Donna's youngest daughter, Hannah, lives and works in Frederick and their oldest, youngest, and only son, Caleb,
is currently enrolled in the graduate program at Messiah College. Scott will tell you he is blessed to have a family that loves the Lord and supports him wholeheartedly.
Who I am
I have a passion for God’s people and to encourage them into a deeper relationship with the creator of the universe. My passion is for all generations, I enjoy the uniqueness of our children and teens discovering who they are and the important plan that God has in their lives. I empathize with young adults and parents who encounter real world problems with each passing moment of their days, and I have a fond heart for the wisdom and challenges of our seniors as they enter into the golden - or not so golden - years of their lives.
In my free time, you can find me most often in a tree stand enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. I love to coerce
my family into performing plays in our backyard, and I am continually tearing things out of our house because I have a new idea. One of my greatest pleasures is knowing, at the dawn of each new day, God has someone special for me to “bump” into and that thrills me. My hope is that this special someone will one day be you.
Pastor Scott
Donna Clawson
Church Administrator
Donna is our Church Administrator and can help you with all your questions or direct you to the proper source!
Donna joined the Mt. Carmel staff in 2002. She lives in Frederick with her husband, Pastor Scott. Donna and Scott have three children; Meghan, Hannah and Caleb. They also have three amazing grandchildren; Atticus, Fletcher, and Evelyn.
Donna's favorite pastimes are crochet and reading but spending time with her family is what she likes to do best.
Kathy Petrill
HOPE Preschool Director
Welcome to everyone here at Hope Community Preschool! My name is Kathy Petrill and
I am the Director for our preschool. I look forward to developing lasting relationships that
benefit the church and the education of our children.
I am a graduate of Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. My bachelors’ degree is in Early
Childhood Education and my masters’ degree is as a Reading Specialist. I was a public school
teacher in Frederick and Washington counties for 16 years. Before coming to HOPE, I was a preschool teacher for a local church in Hagerstown.
I reside in Hagerstown with my 2 daughters, 12-year-old, Addy and 7-year-old, Claire. I love spending time with my family, gardening and going to the beach.
I look forward to meeting all of the Hope Community Preschool families and having a wonderful year together!
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Michele Stine
Children's Ministry Director
Michele Stine lives in Frederick with her husband Kenny, 13-year old daughter Nicolina and 6-year old son Kenneth. As a family, they enjoy being outgoing and like to travel together. They are all active members of the Mt. Carmel congregation. Michele teaches the “Let’s Play” program. Michele started the “Let’s Play Today” program for Hope Community Preschool in 2010.
Fitness has always been a priority throughout Michele’s career and she is looking forward to motivating children to be active and healthy while having FUN!!!!
Michele served in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police officer and continued in law enforcement as a Maryland State Trooper until retirement.
Rev. Jeffrey Childs
Devin Inman
Contemporary Worship Director
"Devin is a music major who studied music composition at Hood College.
He has been leading worship since he first discovered his calling into
music ministry while on a retreat in 2015.
Praise and Worship is his passion and he loves what he does."
