Weston United Methodist Church Pastor Retiring

The Weston United Methodist Church (WUMC) has announced that The Rev. Dr. Pat MacHugh will retire on June 30, 2021 after 30+ years in ministry. Pat, who was born in Bethlehem, PA, grew up in Orono, ME and graduated from Concord-Carlisle Regional High School in Concord, MA. She received a BA in Speech Communication from the University of Maine and went on to be a bookkeeper, high school teacher, adult education teacher, dairy farmer, milk tester, and a mother. She then returned to the University of Maine and earned an MA in Communication Disorders. She worked as a Speech and Language Pathologist before finally answering God’s call to ministry. Pat graduated from Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 1985 and received her Doctor of Ministry from Bangor Theological Seminary in 2003.

Pat has served churches in Ohio, Maine, and Massachusetts, including North Lewisburg, OH, 5 churches in northern Maine, and the First United Methodist Churches of Williamstown and North Adams in MA before returning to northern Maine as District Superintendent in 2008. Pat served the Church on the Cape in Kennebunkport, ME prior to moving to Weston in 2018 to serve the WUMC.

Pat is married to Bob Duane, a special education teacher, and they have five adult children, three grandchildren, and one delightful toy poodle dog named Hallelujah. Pat, Bob, and Hallelujah will be moving to North Carolina to be near their young grandchildren, and Bob will resume work as a special education teacher at a Charter School. Pat stated, “These three years at Weston UMC have been wonderful – challenging, joyful, difficult (thanks to an unexpected pandemic!) and rewarding, and I will continue to hold the amazing and caring people of this church in my heart.” Pat will lead her final worship service at WUMC on June 13th.

We thank Pastor Pat, and Bob, for their dedicated service to Weston United Methodist Church and wish them well as they begin their next chapter.

On July 1, 2021, Rev. Alicia Velez Stewart will join the Weston UMC family as the next Pastor. Pastor Alicia is currently serving as Pastor of the Bridgewater (MA) UMC and the East Bridgewater (MA) UMC. She grew up in Lakeview. Her husband Bryan, who is originally from Whitman, works as a Programmer and Internet Engineer for the city of Taunton. They both enjoy exploring the outdoors and traveling. Pastor Alicia is a kayaker and the Stewart family loves camping, bike riding, and caring for the small zoo they have at home which includes a Pug, a Golden Retriever, 2 giant Cats, and a Turtle.

Pastor Alicia, a life-long Methodist, earned a BA in Government from Suffolk University and her M.Div. from Boston University where she graduated cum laude in 2018. Immediately prior to her appointment as pastor in Bridgewater she was the Family Ministry Coordinator for Shepherd of the Valley UMC in Hope, RI. In addition to being the pastor at Bridgewater United Methodist Church, she is active at Camp Aldersgate in Gloucester, RI as the Pastor-in-Residence and theological supervisor, as well as the chair of the Greater Bridgewater Interfaith Council. On the conference level, Pastor Alicia is chair of the District Committee on Superintendency and a member of COSROW (Commission on The Status and Role of Women).

Pastor Alicia, Bryan, and their four children, ranging in age from 8-20, are looking forward to being partners in ministry with Weston United Methodist Church. Pastor Alicia will lead her first worship service at WUMC on July 11th. We look forward to welcoming Pastor Alicia and her family to the WUMC family, and the Weston community, in July!