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Carol Cosens Yocum, Lead Pastor

Pastor Carol graduated from Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan, with a double major in Sociology and Religion, and a minor in History. She earned a Masters of Divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D. C., and has continued her education at Wesley with several doctoral courses in Leadership.

Ordained in the United Methodist Church in 1973, Pastor Carol is under appointment in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. She served the Harpers Ferry Parish for four years. She served nine years at the Weller-Deerfield Charge in Thurmont and Sabillasville, MD, followed by a nineteen year appointment to Calvary United Methodist Church, Mt. Airy, MD. In 2005, Pastor Carol was appointed to Reisterstown United Methodist Church.

Pastor Carol served eleven years on the Board of Governors of Wesley Seminary. She has served terms as chair of District Clergy Fellowship, chair of the Pastoral Care and Counseling Committee and chair of the Personnel and Personnel Policy Committee for the conference. She is currently a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry. Pastor Carol has a keen interest in refugee resettlement, prayer and healing ministry, mission ministry, and hospitality. She enjoys all kinds of sacred music-traditional, contemporary, Celtic, Taize, gospel, classical.

Pastor Carol partnered in ministry with her husband, Rev. Dennis Yocum for twenty-one years. They have three daughters, Julianne, Elizabeth and Karalee, a son-in-law, Adam, and grandson, Drew. She enjoys reading, cooking, vegetable and flower gardening, walking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

She is committed to leading a church where people find support for their needs and a place to nurture a growing faith in Jesus Christ through prayer, worship, fellowship, small groups, and opportunities for mission and service. All people are welcome. Out of gratitude to God for all the blessings of life, we help others.