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Rev. Barrett Long - Pastor

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Barrett was born in Decatur, Alabama July 2nd 1966 to Odean and Diane Long. He received Christ at the age of 13 at Macedonia Baptist Church. He answered God’s calling to Ministry at the age of 19 at Summit Baptist Church where he was licensed to preach. Barrett was ordained at Valdosta Baptist Church, Tuscumbia, AL in May of 1992.

After graduating from Danville High School, Barrett attended Calhoun College, where he played one year of Junior College Basketball, and moved on to the University of North Alabama. Barrett received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He received his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in December of 1993.

While at UNA, he met LeAnn Garner. They were married on December 16th, 1989. They have two beautiful children, Anna (2/3/95) and Livingston (12/1/99).

 Barrett loves to be with his family, play golf, and officiate high school basketball. His favorite verse is Galatians 2:20. His goal is to be clay in the potter’s hand.

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Dr. Jerry Olson, Jr. - Minister of Worship and Administration

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Dr. Olson has been serving as the Minister of Worship and Administration at First Baptist Church, Tuscumbia since June, 2005.  A native of Augusta, Georgia, he came to the Shoals area in 1999 and served as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Alabama until 2003.  Previously, he was the Visiting Director of Choral Activities at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.  He has served churches as a minister of music, full-time and part-time, in North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

Dr. Olson studied conducting at the University of South Carolina where he earned a DMA degree in choral conducting with Dr. Larry Wyatt.  He also has a Master of Church Music degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Music Education with a piano concentration from Samford University.

As well as serving as the Minister of Worship and Administration, Dr. Olson is the Director of the Shoals Chamber Singers, an auditioned adult chamber choir, and the Calvary Fellowship Homeschool Choir.  He frequently serves as a choral clinician, adjudicator for local and state-wide choral festivals, and accompanies All-State and Honor choirs.  He also is the assistant accompanist for the Alabama Singing Men, and collaborates with Karen Cantrell in the performance of duo piano concerts.  He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Alabama Vocal Association, the College Music Society, and the Music Teachers National Conference.

Dr. Olson and his wife, Dr. Teresa Olson, have one daughter, Valerie.  Valerie attends third grade at Forest Hills Elementary School in Florence.

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Brudgie began his ministry with us in the fall of 2003. He and his wife, Gigi, are public school teachers with three children: Daniel, Diana, and Mary Margaret.

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Mary Jo Sockwell - Director of Children & Preschool

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Mary Jo Sockwell is originally from Tishimingo, Mississippi. She moved to Muscle Shoals in 1993. She has an associates degree in Childcare and Development from Northeast Jr. College. She has worked as a daycare teacher and director. She currently works full time as a paraprofessional at Howell Graves Preschool in the MuscleShoalsSchool system. This is her 14^th year in the school system. She now also works as the Children’s director here at First Baptist. She has a true love for children and loves what she does!

Mary Jo is married to Keith Sockwell. Together, they have three children: Starkey-Morgan (15), Austin (14), and Braden (12). They all go to school at Muscle Shoals. They all love animals and have horses, cows, donkeys, etc… on their land. They consider their dogs Zeb, Lessie Pearl, and Lizzie May as members of the family.

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Eldred Kicker - Sunday School Director & Education

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Mr. Eldred Kicker was born in Montevallo, Alabama on July 16, 1933.  He accepted Christ as Savior in June 1945 and joined the First Methodist Church in Montevallo.  After high school, he enrolled in Florence State Teachers College (now UNA) where I met and married Vergie Stidham.  He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954.  While stationed at Tacoma, Washington he joined Lake City Baptist Church.  He was transferred to Fairbanks, Alaska and was discharged there and worked and helped build a new church.  While in Fairbanks Mr. Kicker felt God's call to be a Minister of Education.  He came back to Alabama and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) at the University of North Alabama (UNA), then went on to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and received a Master of Religious Education (MRE) degree.  He served churches in Louisiana and Alabama for 35 years as Minister of Education, some in combination with Minister of Music and/or Youth.  His wife, Vergie, died in February 2003 after forty-nine and one-half years of marriage.  He has five grown children, nine grandchildren, and two great-trandchildren.

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Susan has served as Financial Secretary since the fall of  2002.