The Staff-Parish Relations Committee at First United Methodist Church of Lakeland appointed Rev. Marcus Zillman as the church’s Senior Pastor, following the retirement of Pastor Charley.
Rev. Zillman comes to First UMC Lakeland after serving five years as the Senior Pastor at Cypress Lake United Methodist Church in Fort Myers, Florida. His appointment reflects a homecoming to the local community, as he is a 1994 graduate of Florida Southern College in Lakeland.
Key details regarding Pastor Zillman’s leadership transition include:
- Educational & Professional Background: Earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Florida Southern College and a Master of Divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology (1997). He brings nearly three decades of pastoral experience serving Methodist congregations across Florida.
- Focus on Multi-Generational Ministry: Rev. Zillman emphasizes fostering a church body that engages all generations—from young families and children to long-standing senior congregants—strengthening modern and traditional worship settings and local community missions.
- Personal & Family Life: He and his wife, Rebecca, have two young daughters, Marilyn and Marissa.
First UMC Lakeland continues to operate out of its campus at 72 Lake Morton Drive in downtown Lakeland.
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