Church Staff
Charlene Kennedy
Secretary
Charlene Kennedy is a part-time secretary with the First United Methodist Church, a US Navy veteran, a wife and mother of four daughters. She is also an active Session Elder at Bell Memorial Presbyterian Church, has completed Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRE) training and recently has been commissioned as the pastor at Ellport Presbyterian Church.
Candy Aikins
Music Director and Organist
Candace Aikins is the organist/music director of FUMEC, where she has been employed since 2009. Prior to coming to FUMEC, she was the organist/choir director at Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church and the organist at Vandergrift Presbyterian Church.
Candace has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a concentration in pipe organ from Grove City College and a Master's Degree in Pipe Organ Performance from Carnegie Mellon University where she received a Fellowship. She also has an Orff-Schulwerk Level 1 Certification and a TI:ME Level 1 Certification from Duquesne University. She has taught chorus and music at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels in several school districts where she was a long-term substitute. She also worked for Macmillan-McGraw Hill Book Company for three years as a part-time music consultant. She is currently a substitute teacher in seven school districts and teaches private piano lessons.
Candace enjoys shopping and traveling, as well as spending time with family and friends.