our leadership
Rev. Karen Roberts
Senior Pastor
I have served the wonderful congregation of Wilkesboro United Methodist Church since 2016, having been ordained as an Elder in The United Methodist Church in June of 2009. My greatest joy as a pastor is when I can help create a connection between God, congregation and community in ways that meet needs, promote justice, offer inclusion, and share in God’s love. When not serving church and community, you can find me outdoors, hiking or birdwatching, or spending precious time with my husband, Tim (also a United Methodist pastor and a Navy Reservist Chaplain), with whom I share the love of two daughters and two grandchildren. If you want to strike up an easy conversation with me, tell me about your favorite book or what you are currently reading. I’m a geek for Appalachian literature, but I’m always willing to bury myself in a good read.
Dr. Jim Brooks
Assistant Pastor
Music and the Arts
Church music has been a large part of my life for about as long as I can remember. I directed my first choir while I was in high school; my sister was the accompanist. My father and mother sang in the choir and kept our disagreements to a minimum. I attended Appalachian State intending to study music and quickly became involved in the worship team at the Wesley Foundation (a United Methodist Student Fellowship) and helped direct student groups who visited United Methodist churches to lead worship. While at ASU I discovered my second love, literature, which prompted a change in my major to English. My vocation for the past 38 years has been teaching English, Latin, and Journalism at West Wilkes High School. My avocation has been church music. I count it a blessing to have served as music Director at Wilkesboro UMC for over 30 years. If you enjoy singing, we would love to have you join us in choir.
Dr. Dennis Mayer
Music Ministry Accompanist
I started playing piano when I was about 4 years old and took organ lessons as a teenager, having grown up in a small Methodist church in South Jersey where my mother was the organist for 40 years. I have happy memories of playing piano-organ duets with her and accompanying the choir on special anthems, while my father sat near the front of the church, so he could sit with my mom during the sermon. I worked as an organist throughout college, eventually attended medical school, specializing as a surgeon. I fell away from the church after residency and spent the next several years as a surgeon in the US Navy in Japan and California, before coming to Wilkesboro in August 2021. My time at Wilkes Regional Medical was meant to be temporary, but I fell in love with the community and immediately knew I wanted to move here with my family. I called Dean and invited him to come for a visit and we decided to stay, eventually finding our way to Wilkesboro UMC where we quickly found people that lovingly welcomed us into the church family. I am grateful to be able to use my talent and lifelong love of music to glorify God by serving as the organist and play this beautiful instrument each week. Dean and I are proud to be part of the Chancel Choir, making joyful noise every Sunday and appreciating the love and encouragement we receive. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this church, and we are grateful God worked to lead us here. We are in awe of His plan. I am always open to suggestions on any music you might want to hear.
Carol Canter
Treasurer
Carol B. Canter has been a secretary/treasurer of Canter Construction Company since 2021 and the wife of Richard S. Canter for 30 years. Carol and Richard have three children together. She retired from Wilkes County Schools after 29.5 years teaching mathematics in grades 8-12. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a BS in Mathematics and Gardner-Webb University with a MA in Executive Leadership.