Ms. Shelly Gonzales
Minister of Children and Youth
Shelly Funsch Gonzales strives to live by the simple words, “Love God. Love People. All People.” She began leading ministry with young people at FUMC Farmersville on Jan. 1, 2023. Her goal is to share God’s love in ways that affirm people’s inherent worth, helping them explore how God delights in them and empowers them to make a difference in this world.
Shelly grew up in Princeton, Texas. She spent 15 years as a newspaper and magazine editor, writer and blogger, winning awards for her “Lucky Mama” blog at The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Then God called Shelly into ministry. The heart of her ministry has been helping people of all ages know and feel like they belong in God’s kingdom, and in the church. She is driven partly by her own experiences of being marginalized by church people. She is fully driven by God’s grace, which flowed through the people of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Lubbock, to transform her life. She was baptized in that church at age 28. A few years later, God called her into ministry.
Since then, Shelly has served as associate pastor at FUMC Weatherford, chaplain resident at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, and director of outreach, diversity and children’s ministry at FUMC Sachse. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve God now at FUMC Farmersville while also teaching in the Princeton ISD and raising her precious teenagers, A.J. and Max.
Shelly holds a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from The University of North Texas.
Rev. Brian Dierolf
Lead Pastor
Pastor Brian has been serving FUMC Farmersville since July 1, 2021. Rev. Dierolf has a big heart for all those who have been ‘turned off’ from Church and/or have not experienced the inclusive Love and steadfast Grace of God in Church. He enjoys the honor of ‘equipping the saints for the ministry of the church’ – in particular via missions and social engagement. Pastor Brian is a passionate preacher who strives to inspire all to be the hands and feet of Jesus the Christ building the Kin-dom of God in our hearts and community!
God’s calling on Brian’s life started at a young age when others told him he was a good listener. He grew up in San Antonio Texas and in the UMC. Brian has been serving in ministry since he was in college. It was there that he answered his call to ordained ministry and began serving in youth ministry. Brian graduated the University of North Texas in 2004, cum laude, with a Bachelors of Arts major in Psychology and a minor in Religious Studies. As a sophomore at UNT he met the love of his life, now his wife, Lauren Grimm Dierolf. Lauren currently teaches Middle School Special Education English in Princeton ISD.
Brian obtained a Master’s of Divinity from Brite Divinity School in 2009. He was Ordained as an Elder in Full Connection in the North Texas Conference in 2015. While in the ordination process he served FUMC DeSoto, as Youth Minister and started a new outreach ministry. Upon Commissioning in 2012 he was appointed to serve FUMC Grand Prairie as Associate Pastor, focusing on youth and missions ministry. Within months of starting at ‘First Grand’ he launched a new food ministry.
When he was Ordained in Full Connection he was appointed as the Campus Pastor of the Wesleyan Campus Ministry (3/4x) / FUMC-Commerce Associate Pastor (1/4x). Within 3 years the campus ministry grew to the extent that it warranted a full-time appointment and was financially self-sustainable. Pastor Brian helped spearhead the transition to make the Wesleyan Campus Ministry its’ own independent UMC and served there as their Pastor and CEO for three years prior to coming to Farmersville.
Brian and Lauren spoil their cocker spaniel puppy Nola! Brian is a Blues and Jazz fanatic, loves reading science fiction, watching crime shows and comedies, plus cheering on the Texas Rangers and San Antonio Spurs.
Mrs. Kim Wheelock serves as the Music Ministry Director. She is a music specialist in Frisco ISD where she has been the Choir Director for the district honor choir for the past 5 years and the music specialist at Christie Elementary for the past 6. Kim is a graduate of A&M Commerce where she completed her Masters' in Music education with a secondary emphasis in choral conducting. She also spent 5 years as the Children's Music director as well as a member of the Church Choir at First Presbyterian Grapevine where her husband attended growing up.
Kim is married to Robert and they are blessed with a beautiful family of two young girls and one baby boy: Elizabeth, Eleanor and Robby. Kim loves spending time with her family and cheering on the Dallas Stars hockey team.