Leadership

Pastors & Staff

Fran Cooper

Lead Pastor

Rev. Fran Cooper is a native of Norfolk, VA and has served as an Ordained Elder in local churches for over 32 year in the Tidewater and Richmond areas. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Duke University (Durham, NC) following her Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance and Church Music from Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, TN). Fran has a pastoral passion to extend the loving power of God to as many as possible through worship, preaching, engaging in small groups, but also in taking the Church into the world in order to heal the hurts of physical, spiritual, emotional, and communal brokenness. Fran is part of a clergy couple. Her husband, the Rev. Bob Cooper is also a United Methodist minister and serves Tabernacle UMC in Poquoson, VA. Their family includes two adult daughters, Mary Beth and Monica, three beautiful grandchildren Charlotte (11), Max (9), and Mikey (7), and their two “boys,” a Pug named Grande and Tabby cat named Jeter who presently run their home. Fran’s favorite pastimes are spent with extended family, and especially her mom and two sisters who also live in the area. She also enjoys reading (especially historical fiction), making delicious food (she’s a Food network junkie), planting flowers, and traveling with her husband wherever the road leads them.

Heekyung Lee

Director of Music/Organist

Dr. Lee grew up in a little village called Kimcheon near Daegu which is between Seoul and Pusan in South Korea. Before arriving here this spring, she previously served at Calvary Baptist church at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as an organist and conservatory music director for 11 years.  Dr.  Lee has a Bachelor of Arts in Church Music and Master of Music Education and Master of Organ Performance from Keimyung University in Daegu, South-Korea.  She lectured for 7 years and performed many solo and joint recitals, as well as accompanied choral and instrumental concerts. She was a recipient of the Organ Scholarship from the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in Atlanta, Georgia in 2010. She received her Doctor of Music Arts in Organ Performance from University of Alabama in 2013.  Heekyung’s favorite organ method is pedal solo work.  When not working, she loves to swim, meet new friends, and share the love of Christ. Heekyung sees her love for her work as a Music Director/Organist as an act of worship.

Lynn Ford

Financial Secretary

Lynn grew up in Tiffin, OH before coming to Norfolk on vacation some 33 years ago. She attended Cuyahoga (OH) and Tidewater Community Colleges taking Accounting Classes.  Lynn and her husband, Walt are the proud parents of Samuel and Gabby.   They enjoy just spending time together on the weekends as a family.
Lynn stays very busy with the finances of the Church, PreSchool and Foundation separately.  Lynn is known (lovingly) as the ‘M&M Lady’ by all of the PreSchool Children!

Rebecca Crockett

Church Secretary

Becky Crockett serves as the Church’s Administrative Assistant. Following her Navy husband around the country, she attended the College of Charleston and San Diego State University, before graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2001 with a degree in Finance. Navy orders brought Becky and her family to Norfolk in 2001. Becky began attending LUMC in 2007 and became a member in 2008. When not answering the office phone, working on bulletins, greeting Church Members or assisting the hungry, she plays in the Larchmont Ringers, and supports various LUMC missions initiatives.

Meg Ditty

Preschool Director

Meg Ditty is a graduate of Cal State University San Bernardino, earning her Bachelors Degree in Psychology. She has been a preschool administrator for 10 years in both state licensed/accredited and religious exempt locations. Meg came to Virginia when her husband’s Coast Guard career moved them across the country in 2003. She has since planted her roots in Virginia Beach with her husband Jerry and their two boys, Jackson and Clayton. When she is not playing with the kids at LUMPS, you can most likely find her at a baseball field, whether it is at PAHS, ODU or Tides Park. Meg is a member of Thalia United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach.

Kacy Hucks

Director of Children/Director of Youth Ministry

Kacy Hucks was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.  She graduated from College of Charleston, SC with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Middle Grades Education with science and history concentrations. She later went on to receive a special Certificate of Southeast Christian Schools to teach Christian education at private Christian schools.  Kacy taught many years in both secular and Christian schools both in elementary and middle grade schools. Her marriage to Steven, a submarine officer in the Navy, has led to many moves up and down the Eastern seaboard. She has been able to teach and volunteer in a variety of education and children ministries along the way.  She and Steve have a nine-year-old daughter named Haddy and a five-year-old son named Hunter.  Kacy has been homeschooling both children the last three years.  Her family resides in Norfolk which is how they came to find LUMC.  Upon their first attendance in December 2021, she and her family were instantly welcomed and embraced by the congregation. Kacy felt the call to immediately begin volunteering in the children’s ministry and in the church. Kacy enjoys reading, fitness classes, family trips, and fellowship with her friends and neighbors outside on their patio.  She feels blessed by the opportunity to serve as the Director of Children’s ministry and hopes to make families and children feel just as loved and welcomed to LUMC as she felt upon her first visit.

Sarah Kingsley

8:35Live Worship Leader & Digital Communications Specialist

Sarah Kingsley received her Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theater from Sweet Briar College, with a minor in German. She has over a decade of experience in event planning and social media marketing. Moving to Norfolk in 2003, Sarah sang with the Virginia Symphony chorus, the traditional choir at First Presbyterian Church, performed with the Virginia Opera and eventually the Larchmont Methodist choir. A lover of dance, music, and theater, Sarah is on the Foundation Board for the Governor's School of the Arts and often performs in local theater and improv comedy. Sarah grew up in the Methodist Church in Oklahoma and even as a young child explored religions and spirituality. She enjoys volunteering and feels called to speak up on behalf of those who cannot, especially when it comes to affordable housing, transportation, medicine, and food. She is passionate about taking past pain and turning it into a blessing for others. Sarah's family includes her son Cole, and their two cats Noel and Muffin. She loves travel, being outside, composting/recycling, music (of course!), and supporting the shop local movement, especially locally owned restaurants.