Hi!
My name is Bob Morwell, and it is my privilege to serve as Pastor of this church. I was appointed to the position, as of July 1, 2013.
But, my connection to this area goes back much further.
I spent the first 22 years of my life in nearby Carbondale, and I have always had cousins right here in Carterville. In fact, this was the last church my father attended. After graduating from SIU, I attended Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. After graduating seminary, I spent 35 years doing ministry in Central Illinois communities that ranged in size from 350 to 300,000. Among them was Bethel UMC in Peoria, where I was the first white pastor to ever serve that predominantly African American congregation. In fact, I was the first white pastor of a black United Methodist congregation in the history of Illinois.
I also travelled to several different countries. I went to what was then communist East Germany and helped to produce a Christmas Eve television special which linked an American and an East German congregation in a worship service which was telecast around the world. Later, I did humanitarian work, bringing aid to sick and orphaned children and victims of the Chernobyl disaster in the former USSR.
Prior to coming to Carterville, I served Union UMC in Quincy, IL for twelve years and was involved in hospital and police chaplaincy, as well as Habitat for Humanity and the local domestic violence shelter.
Now, I’m back home.
My constant companion, since we got married in 1980, has been my wife Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) who cyber-commutes for a PR firm based in St. Louis. She is also a very talented musician, who has played the bassoon in a variety of bands and orchestras. (Yeah, she's the talented one.) She currently plays in the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra and sometimes with the Paducah Symphony. She is also plays in the Knox-Galesburg Symphony which is about 250 miles to the north. (Good thing we have a Prius!) Nina's maiden name was Cogswell and my last name was Morgan. As a sign of our unity and equality, we took elements from both last names and made a new one...Morwell!
We have two children who have "left the nest." Matthew lives in New Hampshire with his wife Celine, where he works at a facility helping autistic children. When they married, they adopted the last name of Willhelm. Coming up with new last names has become a tradition in our family! Anastasia (Tasha) Amore is a professor at Mac Murray College in Jacksonville, IL, where she lives with her husband, Jabril, who is currently studying at the college with an eye toward eventully getting a law degree.
This is the first community we have lived in, in which at least one of our children didn't reside with us..
Having led a nomadic existence for most of my life, I know the special feeling of being home. But, home is more than a geographical location. Home is the place where you feel loved, accepted, and supported, regardless of geographical location.
I hope that you will find a home for your spirit at First United Methodist Church of Carterville. Like every other family, we are imperfect. But, a perfect love is one which accepts and embraces imperfect people. That’s what makes a family, and family is what makes a home. The church is the family Jesus created. And wherever that family exists, you have a home.
You can reach me by e-mail at: fumc1234@mediacombb.net
Natalie Branca Huppert is our Church Secretary. She is normally in the officer from Noon to 5:00 PM, Monday-Thursday. In addition to working for the church, she runs her own business in Murphysboro...Mario's Mama. She makes and sells dog treats. She is a native of Southern Illinois who grew up in Herrin and graduated from Siu-Carbondale.
Dannyel Norrington
In addition to serving as our Choir Director, Dannyel is the Music Education person for the Carterville Middle School and Jr. High School. She not only sings, but plays a pretty mean clarinet!
