Richlands United Methodist Church

Pastor and Staff

Rev. Roger Cope

rcope@nccumc.org

Bio:

I was born in Mocksville, NC, on October 12. Mocksville is south of Winston Salem in the western piedmont. I graduated from Davie County High School in 1968 and continued my education at Chowan College, a junior college in Murfreesboro. It was at Chowan that I met Joy. She was a year ahead of me in school and transferred to Campbell University. The following year I also transferred to Campbell. Joy graduated in May of 1971 and we married in June. She taught school in Harnett County while I completed my undergraduate degree and upon completion of my college degree in Religion, I enrolled at Southeastern Seminary in the town of Wake Forest. I graduated from SEBTS in 1975 with a Master of Divinity Degree and a new baby. Our oldest daughter, Laura, was born in October of my senior year.

Joy was born in Elizabeth City on November 3. Her parents lived in Spot (originally called 'Hog Quarter") in Currituck County. Her father ran a hunting and fishing lodge when I first met Joy. I liked to tease him that he ran the lodge until I married Joy and then he closed the lodge. Joy taught school in Harnett County for 4 years while I continued my education. She was unable to find a position for three years after I graduated, while we were serving a church in Chatham County. She continued her career when we moved to Craven County in 1978, and taught in the Jones County School system until she retired in 2005.

This year Joy and I celebrated our 40th anniversary on June 12.

When I became a part of the NC United Methodist Church, I was assigned to Asbury UMC in Cove City. We were there for 11 years from 1978 until 1989. It was at Asbury that Jaime, our youngest daughter was born. We moved from Asbury to Dover UMC where we served for 5 years. After Dover, we moved to Vanceboro UMC for the next 8 years. We then moved to Grifton-Webb Chapel for 2 years; then to Scotland Neck-Rich Square for the past 7 years.

Laura is married to Jeff Bennett and they live in Simpson, NC. They have two daughters, Ashlyn and Kaleigh. Jaime is married to Jay Lewis and they live in Virginia Beach and have one daughter, Matilyn, and a son, Bryce.

My hobbies are hunting, fishing, and woodworking.

Joy's hobbies are working in her flower beds and spoiling our grandchildren!

Administrative Assistant - Lyndsey Hemby  
rumc@embarqmail.com 
(attention Lyndsey)