Rev. John R. Virgin
Pastor J.R. is a 2007 graduate of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has served in full-time ministry in the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, until moving to South Carolina in June of 2022. In Western PA, Pastor J.R. served in a variety of settings and roles. He has served rural congregations as both a Senior and Associate Pastor, as well as, serving a large church with a multiple site ministry. Pastor J.R. has also served many years on the Western PA Board of Ministry and as a District Committee on Ministry Chairperson. Pastor J.R. is now an ordained Elder in the Global Methodist Church and will continue to serve at St. Paul’s Waccamaw.
Joining Pastor J.R at St. Paul’s Waccamaw are his wife Allison and their 3 children; Elijah, Evelyn, and Madison, as well as their German Shepherd, Myla. Pastor and his family live just south of Myrtle Beach in the Carolina Forest area. They are overjoyed to have the opportunity to serve at St. Paul’s Waccamaw and look forward to all that God has in store for the future.
Rev. Leon “Len” R. Kircher
Rev. Leon G. Kircher, is serving as a preaching pastor for St. Paul’s Methodist Church Waccamaw, effective on 6 October. Pastor Kircher (Len) was born on 9 November 1955 in Scranton, Pennsylvania and grew up on a tomato farm. His entire adult life was serving the Country in the Army. He graduated from Tunkhannock High School in 1973 and joined the Army on a delayed entry program on 3 February 1973. In November of 1974 he was assigned to the Berlin Brigade, West Berlin, Germany. He ended his initial enlistment in the Army as a SP5. He remained active in the 100th Infantry Division in Missouri while attending college graduating with a degree in Biblical Studies, Greek Language Studies, and the Ancient Near East in 1979. He then attended seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity (cum laude) in 1981 in addition to a second master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry in 1988 from Drew University. He then served as senior pastor for two United Methodist Churches in Pennsylvania. In November 1989 he re-entered the Active Army as a Chaplain.
Pastor Len has served in several assignments in his 40-year Army Career, spending 11 of his 28 years as a Chaplain Overseas. These include Desert Storm where he was the battalion chaplain for the infamous “SCUD” Buster Battalion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Later assignments included The Panama canal, Senior Chaplain for the Military’s Airborne School in Fort Benning, GA., and in 1999 was assigned to the Army’s Premier 101st Airborne Division (the Band of Brothers Division) in Fort Campbell Kentucky. During those years, he deployed to Kosovo as the Task Force Falcon Senior Chaplain and in 2003 was tapped to be the Assault Command Post Chaplain (Forward) during the initial invasion of Iraq and he Global War on Terrorism, finishing his time there in Mosul, Iraq. He was then assigned to the US Army Garrison in Vicenza, Italy. Upon returning to the States, he was the Senior Chaplain for Infantry Training on Sand Hill, Fort Benning and finished as the Senior Instructor for all Army Chaplains in Fort Jackson, (Columbia), SC. In almost every assignment, he was able to serve as pastor for one of the many Army Chapels.
“I have a passion for Ministry. A lifelong Christian in the Methodist Church, I have always been focused on the saving work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and the primacy of God’s Word in the Bible.” I love to preach. I love to share the Good News of Christ. I have found that in the happiest and most testing days of my life, Christ was always there and I could depend on Him fully.” I look forward to being a part of the great team of Believers at St. Paul’s.” When asked where my home is? It’s here.”
My Hobbies include a love of genealogy and exercising as often as I can. I’m a Mayflower Descendent, a Son of the American Revolution, a lifetime member of the VFW, Association of the U.S. Army, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans.
Len is married to Patti, a committed Christian Lady who prays to Jesus every day. They have Four Children and 10 grandchildren.
Alice Cochran
Alice is our Church Office Administrator. She moved here from Charlotte, NC to North Litchfield in 2014. She and her husband Chris just recently sold their Printing Company, in which they owned together for 30 years, so they could settle here. Alice is originally from Shelby, NC. She went to Kings College, Charlotte, NC and after finishing started working in the Clerk of Court’s office in Shelby for 5 years as an Assistant Clerk of Court before she moved to Charlotte and worked for Moore and Van Allen, as a legal secretary.
She has two grown boys, Jonathan and Matthew, and one new grandbaby, Sadie, which she thinks is adorable. Alice loves sports, especially football (go Carolina Panthers) and baseball.
She is thankful for the opportunity working here at St Paul’s Waccamaw UMC, and is looking forward to meeting everyone.
Olivia Powell Huggins
Olivia Powell Huggins is our Director of Music, as well as our organist and pianist.
She grew up in the edge of her church yard in Greenwood, SC. She has been a church pianist since age thirteen and was choir director/ organist at Georgetown Presbyterian from for ten years before joining the music staff at St. Paul’s Waccamaw as accompanist in 2003. In 1980 she received the Lander Academic Award in Music and has degrees from Lander University and the University of South Carolina.
For thirty nine years she taught choral and general music at all levels in Georgetown County School District. As director of the BEACH Singers, Georgetown County School’s auditioned chorus for middle and high school, she coordinated weekly rehearsals and a summer training program for twenty nine years. Under her direction, the program received national recognition for her sight singing/solfege curriculum and choral techniques and was selected to perform at the White House in Christmas 1998 . In addition to numerous state and regional performances, the singers were headliners in San Diego in 2001 sharing a session with James Earl Jones at the National School Board Association Conference.
As a member of professional organizations, she has performed with festival choirs here and in Europe, attended workshops with notable conductors and accompanists , and observed some of the world’s finest choirs. Her favorite vacations include organ study in NYC with David Enlow of Julliard, attending concerts featuring the Saint Olaf Christmas Festival, or participating in worship on musical pilgrimages throughout London, Rome, Florence, Salzburg, Vienna , Venice and Paris. In 2007, she received the Indigo Choral Society Distinguished Artist Award.
Scott Lewis
My name is Scott Lewis, and I am married to my amazing partner in life, Susan Lewis. We currently reside in Pawleys Island, where we also have a very needy pug as part of our family.
I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in full-time youth, young adult, and worship ministry for 30 years. Throughout this time, I have encountered numerous
ministry experiences that have enriched my life in incredible ways. At the age of 23, I experienced a transformative encounter with Jesus, akin to that of Paul, which led to the
birth of my second life.
Since then, I have wholeheartedly accepted the call to take up my cross and follow Christ. I have been blessed to have mentors who have helped guide, train, and shape me as both a person and a servant of Christ.
One of my greatest passions is leading, creating, and sharing the gift of song each week to help others draw closer to God. Over the years, I have been a part of many worship teams,
and in the last season of ministry, we had the amazing opportunity to release some original albums, including “Hello Father” and “We Will Overcome.”
I am eagerly looking forward to many more years of sharing the love of God at St. Paul Waccamaw Methodist Church and witnessing God pour out His Spirit on this amazing congregation
Frank Antes
Frank is our custodian. He and his wife Amylou are retired and living in Pawleys Island. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Frank graduated from Millersville University in PA and taught industrial arts for 5 years. He was in the contracting/lumber business in PA and finished his career as an estimator for a lumber company. Since retirement, he has volunteered and worked for Habitat for Humanity and also volunteered and worked as a project superintendent for Samaritan’s Purse for the Horry County rebuild after Hurricane Florence. He is a member of St. Paul’s.