Clergy
Rev. Cathy Weigand
Lead Pastor
Cathy Weigand never wanted to be a pastor, so it is a surprise to everyone (including herself) that she has been loving the work of ministry for more than 25 years. With a religion major and a psychology minor from the University of Iowa, Cathy went on to get her Masters in Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary with an emphasis in ethics. Cathy and her husband, Rev. Mike Weigand, have four adult children.
Cathy has most recently served at Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church in Oshkosh. She is the chair of the Order of Elders in the Wisconsin Conference and in that role is also on the Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry. She traveled with Love Prevails to General Conference in Portland in 2016, and was in St. Louis in 2019, protesting the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community by the denomination. Cathy has learned the importance of showing up and standing up. She is committed to this way of living her faith, even when she gets it wrong and even when her voice shakes.
608-234-5189
Contact Cathy
Rev. Ran Yoo
Associate Pastor
Ran began her ministry at First Church in July 2021. Originally from South Korea, she was raised in the Korean Methodist Church. She holds a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and is an ordained elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Her ministry vision is to revitalize the church spiritually and physically, helping all people experience transformation through faith. Ran is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, focusing on pastoral leadership in cross-racial and cross-cultural ministry settings.
608-467-5108
Contact Ran
Rev. Mallory Yanchus
Deacon, Children, Youth, Young Adult, and Justice Ministries
Mallory joined our staff at First Church in June 2022. She came to Madison in 2017 and spent almost 5 years as the Executive Director of The Crossing Campus Ministry just down the road, on campus. Previously, she has served both campus and youth ministry in Illinois. In 2015 she received her Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. She is pursuing Deacon’s orders in the United Methodist Church. Mallory’s call to ministry is centered on ministry with youth and young adults and she is excited to be living into this call with First Church. Her husband, Dan is an Ambulatory Access Manager at UW Health. As Illinois natives, Mallory and Dan (plus their dog Nora) are glad to be putting down roots in Wisconsin, and they live on the west side of Sun Prairie.
608-338-1288
Contact Mallory
Ministry Operations Staff
Mark Heiskanen
Director of Music and the Arts
Mark’s musical explorations began at the age of seven when his grandmother introduced him to music on her living room Hammond organ. But the pipe organ at his home Lutheran church soon drew him in and he was playing in services there by age ten. Aspirations to be in the music industry took over for a number of years beginning with enrollment at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an electric bass performance major. Eventually he pivoted to concentrated study in organ performance and choral conducting resulting in degrees from Cleveland State University followed by postgraduate study at the Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. He has served many churches of various denominations in Ohio and most recently completed a nearly eight-year tenure at Plymouth Congregational UCC in Fort Collins, Colorado. While he carries a varied palette of musical experiences within, his heart lies in the traditional worship aesthetic so clearly valued by First UMC Madison and he looks forward to serving the congregation in the years ahead.
He is also an avowed sci-fi nerd, lover of nature and an enthusiast for all things containing capsaicin.
Contact Mark
Dennis Anderson
Facilities Supervisor
Dennis is our Facilities Supervisor. He normally works during the week, arriving early, but you’ll often see him here on weekends, too – at weddings, concerts, and community events – lending his helpful hand. (He’s a devoted Packers’ and Brewers’ fan, if you’re looking for a conversation starter.) If you need to reach Dennis, you should call the church office (during office hours).
608-256-9061
Contact Dennis
Garnet
Finance Administrator
Garnet is a born and raised Wisconsinite. She joined the First United Methodist church team in September 2024. She has worked in financial roles for several non-profit organizations including Worker Justice Wisconsin and the Madison Labor Temple, both located in Madison. She enjoys swimming, golfing, UTV riding and reading.
608-338-0158
Contact Garnet
Holly Johnson
Director of Audio/Video Technology and Digital Ministries
Holly makes our virtual church possible. In addition to running the sound, lights, and video on Sunday mornings (with the help of some great volunteers), she has taken on the challenge of filming and editing videos for the church. She moved to Madison In 2017 after 20 years of working as an audio engineer in Los Angeles. She also works as a professional quilter. Her hobbies include sewing, reading, and travel.
Scott Smith
Executive Chef
Hope’s Home Ministries
Loaves and Fishes Kitchen
I grew up in Bloomington Indiana, and ran my first restaurant in Estes Park, CO. I went to Indiana University and returned to Colorado, to work at a convention center in Denver. I returned to the Midwest and have been in Madison since 1990. I’ve been running hotels and convention centers in the Madison area since then. I chaired Madison Festivals, Chaired the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association, and was Innkeeper of the year in Wisconsin, when Tommy Thompson was Governor. I have three grown children all living around Minneapolis, with the last one a Junior in college at UM. I love Sour Dough Bread, Roast my own Coffee beans and love to garden. My wife is a retired Nurse and we love to travel.
608-467-1233
Contact Scott
Ben McKnight
Administrative and Communications Systems Manager
Ben joined the staff in March 2024. He has worked in administrative and communications roles at several churches including Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, First Congregational Church of Berkeley, and Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison. He enjoys yoga, meditation, PC gaming, walking, and reading.
608-338-0545
Contact Ben