Pastor & Staff

Pastor - Andy Cotten

Greetings! I came to be pastor at Wesley UMC in July 2022 and am excited to be here! A few years ago, I decided it was time to retire from ministry. But God has seen things differently and here I am. My wife Ellen and I have been married for 40 years and have been blessed to serve churches all over the state of Mississippi. In recent years I have also become a representative for a travel company that conducts tours to the Holy Land among other places. I enjoy playing golf and spending time with my family--especially the grandchildren.

My prayer as the pastor of this wonderful part of God's family is that we seek His will first and foremost in everything we do. And, that we become a beacon of the love of Christ to the community that surrounds us.

Worship Leader - Nate Lyon

Hey all! My name is Nate - I'm 22 years old, and I'm currently student-teaching at Gulfport High School as a final prerequisite towards receiving my Bachelor's Degree in Music Education this fall! After I receive my degree, I have yet to decide on what I'd like to do. I may head straight into teaching, I may choose graduate school, or I may want to attend seminary school! At the moment, I'm keeping my options open and doing my best to follow God's plan for me. I've led worship at Diamondhead United Methodist church for about three years now, and I have led the youth there for about two years. During this time, I've come to realize that I am called to be in ministry at least part-time for the rest of my life! One of the things I enjoy doing the most when I've got a lot of time on my hands is traveling! I've visited places like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea, and many others - some that have quite literally left me speechless. There's nothing like experiencing first-hand some of God's most breathtaking creations. I am extremely fascinated with pretty much anything space-related, so don't start a conversation with me on that subject unless you plan to hear me babble for half an hour! At home during my free time, I am likely in scripture, practicing music, working on student-teacher related assignments, or I'm sleeping! I've discovered that sleep is becoming more rare, so I've been slowly moving my bedtime just a few minutes earlier each night.. If there was more time in the day, I would probably choose to read more! I miss it, but I never seem to have the time anymore. I love making new friends and I hope that you come and say hello!