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. I am currently working on a Doctorate of Ministry at Drew Theological School focusing on Public Theology hoping to be complete 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 4 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. I am currently working on a Doctorate of Ministry at Drew Theological School focusing on Public Theology hoping to be complete 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 4 y.o. dog named Max!
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.
Annie Carruthers
Office Administrator
Annie Carruthers was raised in Swarthmore and began attending SUMC at age four and was baptized here shortly thereafter. She grew up singing in SUMC's children's and adult choir which sparked a passion for music that led to a blossoming career in opera and sacred music. Annie received undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical vocal performance from the University of Miami and Cleveland Institute of Music, respectively. When she is not in the office, Annie teaches a studio of voice students in Philadelphia and is the staff soprano soloist and section leader at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.
Annie is so excited to be back in her home church with the community she knows and loves, to work with Pastor Lydia to help grow this church community, make some music, and to file all of things.
If she's not busy arguing with her arch nemesis, the HP Color Printer, stop into the office for an assorted array of puns and corny jokes!
Office Administrator
Annie Carruthers was raised in Swarthmore and began attending SUMC at age four and was baptized here shortly thereafter. She grew up singing in SUMC's children's and adult choir which sparked a passion for music that led to a blossoming career in opera and sacred music. Annie received undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical vocal performance from the University of Miami and Cleveland Institute of Music, respectively. When she is not in the office, Annie teaches a studio of voice students in Philadelphia and is the staff soprano soloist and section leader at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.
Annie is so excited to be back in her home church with the community she knows and loves, to work with Pastor Lydia to help grow this church community, make some music, and to file all of things.
If she's not busy arguing with her arch nemesis, the HP Color Printer, stop into the office for an assorted array of puns and corny jokes!