Beth has been ivolved in church music ministry for almost four decades. After her long-time church pianist retired at her home church of Calvary Baptist in Bucyrus, Ohio, Beth took over the ministry at the age of 12. She also enjoyed accompanying the children’s and youth choirs, as well. This calling began a journey in the music ministry that has spanned several years and several denominations.

Beth was a pianist and choir accompanist at First United Methodist Church of Oneida for almost 20 years and led the children’s and youth choirs for several years while directing the GANG (God’s Awesome New Generation) program. She also cherished the time of singing with and accompanying her mother at her church, Helenwood Baptist.

Having the privilege of attending Wayside Christian School through seventh grade, Beth loved sacred music and being involved in choir and drama programs within the school and church. After moving to Tennessee in 1986, Beth quickly got involved in music by playing in church and accompanying her high school choir at Scott High, where she graduated in 1991. Beth began teaching piano with private lessons that same year. In 1992, Oneida Special School District hired Beth as a teaching assistant for the expanding elementary music program. While in the OSSD, she worked as a teaching assistant for Kindergarten and Kinderstart, led middle and high school choir for several years, and played accompaniment for the other directors of the program. She also taught general music in middle school and then took over the entire elementary program as a paraprofessional for the last several years before the program ended in 2010. Beth began playing for Mass on Saturdays at St. Jude Catholic Church in Helenwood, Tennessee, in 2017 and still does. Although not a Catholic, Beth loves her St. Jude family and believes no church should ever be without music during worship. Music speaks to the heart of all, no matter what denomination.

Beth has been blessed to be a part of the First Presbyterian Church of Huntsville since 2018 and considers it worship with family. The music ministry of any church should create an atmosphere of worship and praise, and Beth’s prayer is that her music offerings and leadership reflect that spirit of worship and praise needed to unite our congregation in full worship to our Lord and Savior.

Beth lives in Oneida, TN, with her husband of 30 years, Rick. She has two adult children, Hannah Nelson (and husband, Ryan of Maynardville, TN, with her grandchildren, Felicity and Lincoln) and Nathaniel Furrer of Oneida. Beth continues to provide piano instruction from her home in Oneida and plans to provide music for worship as long as she can keep the promise made to her mother as a child, who wanted her to always “play for Jesus.”