Rev. James H. (Jay) Carey, Jr. was ordained and appointed to Bethia UMC in July 1998. Prior to coming to Bethia he served as Assistant Pastor at Discovery UMC in Richmond, VA for five years while attending seminary at The Divinity School at Duke University in Durham, NC (M.Div.). Before entering the ministry, Jay graduated from Longwood College (BSBA) and worked as a sales rep in the pharmaceutical and corrugated box industries. Rev. Carey has been married to Ann for 35 years, and they have three children and two sons-in-law, Kathleen Roberts (Zach), Daniel, and Charlsley Haggerty (Matt).
Over the years, Rev. Carey has also served as Chair of the James River (formerly Petersburg) District Committee on Ordained Ministry; the James River District Finance Committee; the VA Conference Board of Ordained Ministry (2012-2020); VA Conference Board of Discipleship and chair of the Division of Evangelism from 2008-2010. He served on the Mid-Sized Church Task Force, a special project of the VA Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, in 2008.
Rev. Carey also served as a member of the International Emmaus Advisory Committee, a division of the Upper Room, and the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN, and is the past Richmond Emmaus Community Spiritual Director and past Richmond Chrysalis Community Spiritual Director. Rev. Carey received the Harry Denman Evangelism Award for Clergy in the VA Conference in 2003. His spiritual gifts include encouragement, faith, leadership, and teaching. His StrengthFinder gifts are positivity, developer, includer, adaptability, and harmony.
Jay’s interests and hobbies include reading, golf, watching sports (especially Nationals Baseball and Duke Basketball), sitting in a rocking chair on the back porch, and spending time with family and friends. Jay was appointed Staunton District Superintendent in July 2020 and then reappointed as the Farmville and James River District Superintendent in July 2021. JamesRiverDS@vaumc.org
Leticia (Tish) is our administrative assistant and bookkeeper, but she wears many hats in our busy office. She has worked in the James River District Office since 2013, and she finds that God has called her to be a reflection of Him by serving and assisting others in ministry. Tish is grateful for the opportunity to work closely with the Virginia Conference and District staff, District Superintendent, pastors, and local church leaders.
Tish is a graduate of Old Dominion University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. As a member of Wakefield United Methodist Church, she serves on the Altar Guild, Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee, and the Wakefield UMC Preschool Board. She is also the church’s Lay Leader. She is currently serving as the Secretary of Virginia PAUMCS, a member of the VA Conference Nominations Committee, and the VA Annual Conference Minutes Committee.
Tish’s family includes her husband, Jim, and two grown sons who reside with their families in Fairfax and Suffolk, VA. One of Tish’s greatest joys is her new grandson, Ben.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Rev. Jasmyn Graham Campus Minister, Virginia State University E-mail: JasmynGraham@vaumc.org Mailing Address: P. O. Box 9200, Virginia State University, VA 23806 Office: (804) 524-5214 Cell: (704) 914-7941
Rev. Jasmyn C. Graham, a native of Cordova, South Carolina, is the youngest daughter of Ms. Linda M. Graham. She is sister to two older siblings, brother, Tyrus V. and sister, Jacquitta, and a proud aunt of two nephews and one niece with whom she loves to spend time, Tyrus Jalen Graham, and Josiah Graham Huggins, Zoey Ava-Rose Tyler.
Rev. Graham is a 2012 graduate of Morris College, having earned a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education, and a 2017 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Divinity, having earned a Master of Divinity. In April 2014, she was licensed for ministry at the St. John Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Winston–Salem, North Carolina, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Omar L. Dykes. Within the church she has served as a preacher, Bible study teacher, congregational care minister, youth minister, and worship planner. Outside of the church, she has clinical pastoral education experience having served as a hospital chaplain for one year at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston–Salem, North Carolina. Her favorite scriptures are Exodus 33:14, Isaiah 41:10.
Mrs. Audrey D. Smith The Gathering @ Washington Street E-mail: AudreySmith@vaumc.org
Audrey facilitated dialogue between community members, residents, and interfaith partners to discern God’s dreams for Petersburg in her role as Director of the Petersburg Project (VA) from June 2019 to June 2021. Audrey is the co-author of the curriculum Virginia Roots, Race, and Discipleship, offered through the Virginia Annual Conference.
She is a graduate of the Soul of Leadership Program with Shalem Institute of Spiritual Formation and leads group spiritual cohorts. She was the Lay Leader at Chester UMC from 2018-2021. Audrey is a retired public school educator and co-founder of a nonprofit preschool.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She and her husband, Frank, live in Chesterfield, VA. Their son, Wesley, lives in Knoxville, TN.
Mrs. Kay Mims District Treasurer gene.mims@comcast.net Mailing Address: 14901 S. Carter Rd, Petersburg, VA 23805 Home: (804) 733-8632
Kay Mims is a lifelong Methodist having been baptized, raised and married in High Street United Methodist Church, Petersburg.
Kay is married to Gene Mims and she has been blessed with four children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Mr. Keith Jordan District Lay Leader, keithjordan59@gmail.com Mailing Address: 3262 Lake Prince Dr, Suffolk, VA 23434 Home: (757) 539-5412
Mr. Gerry Fuss District Lay Leader, fussg@verizon.net Mailing Address: 12760 Donegal Dr, Chesterfield, VA 23838 Home: (804) 790-1466