Rev. Cathy Weigand
Lead Pastor
(away until July 1)
608-234-5189
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.
Rev. Scott Walters
Interim Pastor
I am hoping to be an interim Pastor who guides and listens.
I am a native Wisconsinite as is my wife, Jane; both hailing from Wisconsin Rapids. (No, we did not know each other in school, though I knew most of her relatives). The last appointment I received before retirement was at Crossroads UMC in Waunakee. Prior to that have been appointments including Lodi, Reedsburg, Madison (Bashford), Footville & Orfordville, and Sheboygan (St. Luke). All told, that’s 42 years of service at my retirement. I received my B.S. at UW-Stevens Point and my M.Div. at Boston University School of Theology.
Jane, my wife, is employed at TruStage (formally CUNA) in the area of IT security. Jane’s bachelor’s degree is from the UW-Madison and masters from Edgewood.
Rev. Ran Yoo
Associate Pastor
608-467-5108
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.
Mark Heiskanen
Director of Music and the Arts
608-338-0107
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.
Dennis Anderson
Facilities Supervisor
608-256-9061
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).
Garnet
Finance Administrator
608-338-0158
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.
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
608-467-1233
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.
Ben McKnight
Administrative and Communications Systems Manager
608-338-0545
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 cats, yoga, meditation, PC gaming, walking, and reading.