Meet our Team
At SUMC everyone on our staff values hospitality and service. We are committed to helping you connect to God and connect to each other through works of justice and mercy providing many ways for you to get involved in the work of building the kin-dom of God.
Rev. Dr. Lydia E. Muñoz,
Lead Pastor
I am a proud Puerto Rican made in Puerto Rico but born in Lancaster, Pa. So you can say I am a Dutcher-Rican! I am an Ordained Elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. I graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary and did my undergraduate at Penn State University and received my Doctorate of Ministry from Drew Theological School focusing on Public Theology in May 2021
Among my experience developing ministries of justice among marginalized and multicultural communities, I have been involved in leading worship for over 20 years in a variety and diverse settings, both locally and nationally, including for the World Council of Churches Assembly in South Korea 2013 and the United Methodist General Conference in 2012 and the Festival of Sacred Arts in Falstbo, Sweden. I am a published author and contributor on the New United Methodist Hymnal Committee and have been featured in Abingdon Preacher’s Manual 2019 and will be working with Abingdon again for 2020. I have served as worship leader for several annual conferences throughout the connection as well as national conferences including the United Methodist Women’s Mission U and General Assembly.
Currently, I am chair of the Eastern Penn Conference Methodist Federation for Social Action and our conference's Rapid Response Team for Immigration. Anti-racism justice work is one of my priorities: combating white supremacy in all its expressions both in the church and in society. I am passionate about developing a fully inclusive congregation where courageous conversations and reconciling opportunities can happen, where peacemaking can be made and love can grow as an expression of justice.
The full radical Gospel of Jesus Christ is the basis for everything I do and I endeavor to follow Jesus even when it isn't popular. I have a passion for following the Spirit’s lead in the creation of sacred moments and spaces for emergent communities, where together as the gathered we can experience the transformative power of God. Our public worship is the most consistent public witness we do and so my general rule for worship is that the Church needs to worship and live incarnationally, which means we live what we sing and we sing what we live and what we are working to become- God’s Reign on Earth.
I am the proud mom of Willow, a student at Delaware County Community College and a 5 y.o. dog named Max!
Lead Pastor
I am a proud Puerto Rican made in Puerto Rico but born in Lancaster, Pa. So you can say I am a Dutcher-Rican! I am an Ordained Elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. I graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary and did my undergraduate at Penn State University and received my Doctorate of Ministry from Drew Theological School focusing on Public Theology in May 2021
Among my experience developing ministries of justice among marginalized and multicultural communities, I have been involved in leading worship for over 20 years in a variety and diverse settings, both locally and nationally, including for the World Council of Churches Assembly in South Korea 2013 and the United Methodist General Conference in 2012 and the Festival of Sacred Arts in Falstbo, Sweden. I am a published author and contributor on the New United Methodist Hymnal Committee and have been featured in Abingdon Preacher’s Manual 2019 and will be working with Abingdon again for 2020. I have served as worship leader for several annual conferences throughout the connection as well as national conferences including the United Methodist Women’s Mission U and General Assembly.
Currently, I am chair of the Eastern Penn Conference Methodist Federation for Social Action and our conference's Rapid Response Team for Immigration. Anti-racism justice work is one of my priorities: combating white supremacy in all its expressions both in the church and in society. I am passionate about developing a fully inclusive congregation where courageous conversations and reconciling opportunities can happen, where peacemaking can be made and love can grow as an expression of justice.
The full radical Gospel of Jesus Christ is the basis for everything I do and I endeavor to follow Jesus even when it isn't popular. I have a passion for following the Spirit’s lead in the creation of sacred moments and spaces for emergent communities, where together as the gathered we can experience the transformative power of God. Our public worship is the most consistent public witness we do and so my general rule for worship is that the Church needs to worship and live incarnationally, which means we live what we sing and we sing what we live and what we are working to become- God’s Reign on Earth.
I am the proud mom of Willow, a student at Delaware County Community College and a 5 y.o. dog named Max!
Our Deacon - Rev. Joanne Miles
Pastor Joanne is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist church serving at Swarthmore since December of 2021. She also is a senior financial leader at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Joanne, a lifetime Methodist, felt God’s call to ministries of social justice and to bring her gifts of financial advisory to the church. She has an Mdiv from Lutheran Seminary of Philadelphia (now called United Lutheran Seminary) and has an MBA in Healthcare Administration from St. Joseph’s University. As a Deacon she sees the importance of connecting the hurts of the world to the church and the church to those needs. She serves on the South District Committee on Ordained Ministry as Registrar; provides lends her financial consultation services to local churches and social justices agencies in creating future sustainability. Joanne has previously served as the Co-Finance Chair for national board of Methodist Federation for Social Action and currently serves as co-convenor for the local regional office of both MFSA Methodist Federation for Social Action and Reconciling Ministries Network; a member of the EPA Regional Council DelVal JFON and serves on several boards.
Here at Swarthmore, she serves in the worship service and lends her gifts in creative ways to experience God into our worship, in social justice ministries, congregational care, and support of our growing Young Adult and Family Ministries. She also preaches occasionally throughout the year.
Joanne, a lifetime Methodist, felt God’s call to ministries of social justice and to bring her gifts of financial advisory to the church. She has an Mdiv from Lutheran Seminary of Philadelphia (now called United Lutheran Seminary) and has an MBA in Healthcare Administration from St. Joseph’s University. As a Deacon she sees the importance of connecting the hurts of the world to the church and the church to those needs. She serves on the South District Committee on Ordained Ministry as Registrar; provides lends her financial consultation services to local churches and social justices agencies in creating future sustainability. Joanne has previously served as the Co-Finance Chair for national board of Methodist Federation for Social Action and currently serves as co-convenor for the local regional office of both MFSA Methodist Federation for Social Action and Reconciling Ministries Network; a member of the EPA Regional Council DelVal JFON and serves on several boards.
Here at Swarthmore, she serves in the worship service and lends her gifts in creative ways to experience God into our worship, in social justice ministries, congregational care, and support of our growing Young Adult and Family Ministries. She also preaches occasionally throughout the year.
Matthew J. English - Director of Music and Worship
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Herman Edward Jacobs
Church Sexton
Herman Edward Jacobs was born in Taylor Hospital in 1950. He was one of seven children – 5 boys and 2 girls. He dealt with the “middle child syndrome” among the boys. There always seemed to be things for the oldest and things for the youngest and then there was Herman. He grew up in South Media during the civil rights era. He watched black people struggling on the TV news and he didn’t understand what was going on. Living in a family of 7 was also a struggle. His mother took care of the children and worked as a domestic, cleaning people’s homes. His father traveled back and forth to Lansdale every day where he worked for Merck.
It was from his father that Herman learned the value of work. Work is essential his father said. His father delivered groceries part time for the Wallingford Market and he would take young Herman with him to help. That was his start on the road to many jobs. When he became a teenager, Herman got a job at the Court Diner as a dish washer. He had to tell a little white lie about his age, but he was able to handle the job.
He is not ready to retire. He heard about a job with the Phillies from a friend. He interviewed for the position of host in the premium seating section just behind home plate. It’s a miracle he ever got the job because he wore his New York Yankees hat to the interview! It’s still talked about in the Phillies' family.
Herman came to SUMC about 4 years ago. He likes working with Pastor Lydia because she is a listener – a skill he obviously values – and she’s easy to talk to. His biggest challenges at the moment seem to be ending the flooding in Fellowship Hall and correcting some dysfunctional thermostats. But I’m sure he’s up to it.
Church Sexton
Herman Edward Jacobs was born in Taylor Hospital in 1950. He was one of seven children – 5 boys and 2 girls. He dealt with the “middle child syndrome” among the boys. There always seemed to be things for the oldest and things for the youngest and then there was Herman. He grew up in South Media during the civil rights era. He watched black people struggling on the TV news and he didn’t understand what was going on. Living in a family of 7 was also a struggle. His mother took care of the children and worked as a domestic, cleaning people’s homes. His father traveled back and forth to Lansdale every day where he worked for Merck.
It was from his father that Herman learned the value of work. Work is essential his father said. His father delivered groceries part time for the Wallingford Market and he would take young Herman with him to help. That was his start on the road to many jobs. When he became a teenager, Herman got a job at the Court Diner as a dish washer. He had to tell a little white lie about his age, but he was able to handle the job.
He is not ready to retire. He heard about a job with the Phillies from a friend. He interviewed for the position of host in the premium seating section just behind home plate. It’s a miracle he ever got the job because he wore his New York Yankees hat to the interview! It’s still talked about in the Phillies' family.
Herman came to SUMC about 4 years ago. He likes working with Pastor Lydia because she is a listener – a skill he obviously values – and she’s easy to talk to. His biggest challenges at the moment seem to be ending the flooding in Fellowship Hall and correcting some dysfunctional thermostats. But I’m sure he’s up to it.
JohnPaul Beattie
Audio/Visual/Sound Engineer
JohnPaul Beattie is a Spatial Music Composer, Adjunct Assistant Professor, and Master Sound Engineer in the School of Music at University of the Arts. He earned his MFA in Music Composition from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2018. Beattie has received a research grant exploring the Emotional Impact of Spatial Audio, from the Center for Immersive Media and the Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at UArts. Beattie also received the President’s Award for Excellence – a microgrant to build a spatial audio controller prototype, of his own design, to aid his research.
Beattie is currently teaching Binaural Recording, Spatial Audio Composition, Introduction to Acoustics, and Live Sound Production 1, 2, and 3 at University of the Arts.
Audio/Visual/Sound Engineer
JohnPaul Beattie is a Spatial Music Composer, Adjunct Assistant Professor, and Master Sound Engineer in the School of Music at University of the Arts. He earned his MFA in Music Composition from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2018. Beattie has received a research grant exploring the Emotional Impact of Spatial Audio, from the Center for Immersive Media and the Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at UArts. Beattie also received the President’s Award for Excellence – a microgrant to build a spatial audio controller prototype, of his own design, to aid his research.
Beattie is currently teaching Binaural Recording, Spatial Audio Composition, Introduction to Acoustics, and Live Sound Production 1, 2, and 3 at University of the Arts.