Morningstar Staff
Mark Puckett - Lead Pastor
Email - pastor@mstarumc.com
Personal
- Native of Sulligent, AL
- Husband to Shelley Puckett
- Father to Marshall and Isaac
- Youth Pastor for 13 years
- Planted a new Church
- Served rural, small town, suburban, and inner city congregations
- International Missions and Church Planting
- Instructor for International Clergy and Missions Training
- Appointed to Morningstar Church in June of 2012
- Serves as Chaplain for the Shelby County Law Enforcement Association since 2013
- Sulligent High School
- The University of West Alabama (BS in History/Political Science)
- Memphis Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity)
- The Academy for Congregational Development
- The Institute for Clergy Excellence
- Anything I can do with Shelley and the boys
- Woodworking & restoration of old furniture
- Biblical Archaeology & Historical research and study
- Traveling to new places
- Gardening & Yard Work
LeAlan Carter - Modern Worship Leader
Email - lealancarter@gmail.com
Michael Myrick - Chancel Choir Director
Email - choirteach@live.com
Personal
- Native of Hayden, AL
- Husband to Kathryn Myrick
- Choral, Instrumental, and General Music Teacher for 28 years
- Chancel Choir Director and Directing Choral Groups for 38 years
- Hayden High School
- Birmingham Southern College
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- The University of Montevallo
- Perkins School of Theology
- Certification in Orff Schulwerk from Samford University
- Restoring vintage antique cars
- Creating new choral arrangement and cantatas
Lora Collins - Shining Stars Mother’s Day Out Pre-School Director
Email - mdo@mstarumc.com
Personal
Ministry Experience
Education
Hobbies & Interests
- Native of Manhattan, Kansas
- Married to Shane
- Three daughters: Katherine, Michaela, and Christine
Ministry Experience
- Served as a Children’s and Family Ministries Director for 5 years
- Served as an Assistant to the Pastor for 2 years
- Served as a MDO PreK 3 Teacher for 4 years
Education
- Manhattan High School
- Kansas State University
Hobbies & Interests
- Spending time with my family and friends
- Spending time with the family pets: Nala our golden retriever, our two cats Loki and Gandalf, and our guinea pigs Peggy Carter and Squeakers.
- Woodworking with my husband
- Crafting/creating wood signs
Kimberly Burnett – Director of Children’s Ministry
Email - children@mstarumc.com
Personal
- Native to Moody, Al
- Wife to Robert Burnett
- Mother to Pierce and Catherine
- Director of Children’s Ministry for 18 years
- First Priority Team Leader
- North Alabama Conference Children’s Leadership Team
- Moody High School
- Faulkner University (BS in Business and Biblical Studies)
- Perkins School of Theology at SMU (Children’s Ministry Certification)
- Spending time with Robert, Pierce and Katie
- Working in the yard
- Reading
Hali Smith- Youth Minister
Email- youth@mstarumc.com
Personal
- Hometown- Pleasant Grove, AL
- Married to David Smith
- Mother to Aloma Jane Smith
- Pleasant Grove High School
- Auburn University
- Southern Institute of Interior Design (BFA Interior Design)
- Attending concerts
- Reading
- Spending time/vacationing with my family
- Making things and doing anything crafty
- NASCAR
- Camping
Tom Grigsby – Classic Worship Pianist
Email - tomwgrigsby@gmail.com
Personal
- Native of Tarrant, AL
- Husband to Brooke Grigsby
- Father to Tommy and Addison
- Pianist (First Baptist Church of Tarrant, AL)
- Pianist (Rock UMC of Tarrant, AL)
- Pianist (Morningstar UMC since 2005)
- Tarrant High School
- Jacksonville State University
- Watching the kids play and follow their pursuits
- Spending time with family and friends
- Yard work
- Traveling
- Piddlin’
April Bower – Office Manager
Email - office@mstarumc.com
Personal
- Native of Birmingham, AL
- Wife to Tim Bower
- Mother to Lauryn, Luke and Lydia
- Served in Church Nursery Ministry for 20 years
- Served in Women’s Ministry for 12 year
- Served on two International Mission Teams to Guatemala and Africa
- Served as Missions Coordinator for Women’s Group
- Started work at Morningstar Church in November of 2015
- Huffman High School
- Attended Jacksonville State University
- Family Time
- Travel
- Decorating
- Being Creative