Education, Evangelism and Administration

Background: Sheila's early years were spent in Wiggins, Miss., and later she and her family moved to Hurley, Mississippi. She has one younger brother, and he and their parents still reside in Wiggins.  Married to Chris Cumbest for 27 years, Sheila enjoys being a mom to their two children – Elizabeth, 18, and Jesse, 13.
 
Education:
Graduated from East Central H.S.; USM with a B.S. in Accounting, 1987; Duke Divinity School, Masters in Religious Education, 1990.
 
Service:
A diaconal minister from 1991-97, Sheila was then ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. She was: Director of Children and Adult Ministries at Galloway UMC, 1990-94; Director of Education and Youth at Flora UMC, 1994-97; Director of Education at First UMC, Lucedale, 1997-2001; Deacon at Alta Woods/Leavell Woods UMC, 2001-03; Director of Ministerial Services, Mississippi Conference of UMC, 2004-2008. Sheila currently serves as Director of Education and Church Administration here at St. Paul UMC in Ocean Springs.
 
Interests:
Her favorite things to do in her spare time are spending time with family, especially outdoors, and spending time at the beach, camping, hiking, sports, and boating.  She loves quiet time with scripture and spiritual life retreats with her deacon friends and covenant partners.  Music has always been a special part of her life and even more so since her children came along.  She prefers contemporary Christian music and just about anything from the ‘70’s!  "Now you may have guessed my age!" she said.