Staff
Rev. Brian Gilmer, Lead Pastor
Brian, Jennifer, and Bryson Gilmer came to Travelers Rest UMC in July of 2023 after serving Buncombe Street UMC for 3 years. In the summer after his freshman year in college, while at the Black River Salkehatchie mission camp, Brian began to feel God calling him into full-time ministry. He graduated from Spartanburg Methodist College and continued his education at USC-Spartanburg graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He then went to Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, SC and received his Master of Divinity degree. Brian served the Cowpens Charge (Salem UMC & St. Andrews UMC) from 1999 to 2005; St. Paul UMC in New Ellenton from 2005 to 2010; and Lyman UMC from 2010 to 2020. Brian serves as the Chaplain for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit.
Jennifer is the daughter, granddaughter, and niece of United Methodist ministers, so she knew what she was getting into when she married Brian in 1999 & she did it anyway! She is a graduate of Wofford College with a Bachelors degree in Sociology. She is a Licensed Social Worker who worked for the South Carolina Department of Social Services in the Spartanburg, Aiken, Anderson, & Greenville County offices specializing in working with emotionally disturbed children in foster care & most recently as the Kinship Care Coordinator for the Upstate Region of DSS encompassing 10 counties. After 31 years of state service, she retired from DSS on April 3, 2020, & went to work the very next week as a Foster Care Intake Coordinator for Epworth Children’s Home’s Upstate Office recruiting foster parents & supporting them & the children that are placed in their homes. She decided to make a slight career change by becoming the Medical Staff Coordinator at New Horizon Family Health Services, Inc. in August 2022. She assists the Chief Medical Officer and the medical providers of this community health center.
Bryson graduated from James F. Brynes High School in May 2020. She completed the 1st two years of her college education at Greenville Technical College. She is working full time while she completes her final 2 years of undergraduate work for a degree in Applied Psychology through Capella University. She is a Registered Behavior Technician with Thrive Behavioral Consultants in Greenville where she provides 1:1 behavior modification and management for children on the autism spectrum.
Murphy, their Golden Retriever, rounds out the Gilmer family.
Rev. Christine Matthews, Pastor of Discipleship
Christine grew up in a small Ohio town. She began to experience a call to ministry as a part of her youth group in high school. She moved to Greenville to attend Furman University. At Furman, she majored in both religion and social advocacy and started a faith-based non-profit after school ministry called the Clubhouse Gang. After graduation, she became the full-time director of this ministry to children and youth in low-income neighborhoods in Greenville for eight years. This ministry was a life-changer and deepened and broadened her call to pastoral ministry and a calling to become a foster parent as well.
During these post-college years, she met and married Kyle Thompson, a native of Greenville. In 2002, she and Kyle became foster parents. Also in 2002, Christine became a licensed part-time local pastor and was appointed to Minus Chapel UMC (Greenville District) for five years. While at Minus Chapel, she commuted to seminary at Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta. Both of her sons became a part of the family during their years at Minus Chapel and Candler. In 2007 Christine graduated from Candler and was appointed as the senior pastor at Salem UMC (Greenville District). While at Salem, Christine and Kyle became parents again to their daughter. Christine was ordained an elder in full connection in June 2010 and served Salem until June 2015.
Christine was appointed to TRUMC in 2016 as our Pastor of Discipleship, overseeing and developing our Growth Groups, Sunday School classes, Youth and Children’s Ministry, and participating deeply in worship and service. Christine has a passion for children, youth, local missions, social justice issues, and “the least of these” in our world. On the lighter side, she also has a passion for coffee, chocolate, and HGTV.
Jan Paxton, Office and Financial Manager
Jan is married to John and has two grown children. Since 2002, Jan has worked at TRUMC as the Office/Finance Manager, and holds a BS in accounting/business from Furman University.
Jann Howell, Director of Traditional Music/Organist
Jann is a retired Music Educator with BA in Music Theory and MM in Music Composition. She taught strings in Greenville public schools (and others) for 28 years; including teaching the hearing impaired, band, handbells, and autistic kids; played string bass in SC Philharmonic (and others) for 21 years; and has been an organist/choir director for about 40 years. She has been lending her talents (including her love of dogs) to TRUMC since 2014.
Bryan Catron, Director of Contemporary Music
Bryan and his family joined TRUMC back in 1996 and has been active with the choir, United Methodist Youth Fellowship, and other ministries. When the church started the Contemporary service in 2009, Bryan joined the praise band and has been with them ever since, hired as Director in 2019.
Chris Hulme, Livestream Specialist
Chris joined the Travelers Rest United Methodist Church family in 2017 with his wife Frances and three children. He grew up in Dallas, TX but came to the area during college where he received his degree from Furman University. Chris also serves at Asbury Hills Camp and Retreat Center as the Retreats and Recreation Director.
Nicole Cruell, Nursery Director
Nicole, has worked in our nursery at TRUMC since 2007. Throughout her time with us, she has been blessed to care for numerous babies and form lifelong bonds. She loves to play games, create crafts, and entertain children of all ages. Nicole has 3 beautiful daughters and 3 four-legged kids who mean the world to her. She feels beyond blessed to part of the TRUMC family.
Jessica Miebach, Nursery Worker
Jessica is 25 years old, married to her high school sweetheart, Gavin, and lives in Fountain Inn with their German Shorthaired Pointer. She graduated in 2018 from Lander University with a degree in Exercise Science and is currently in the inaugural cohort of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. She looks forward to starting her career after graduation in December 2023. She has been honored to serve TRUMC in the nursery since late 2018 and looks forward to spending Sunday mornings with Nicole and the precious little ones!