Meet Our Staff

Rev. Ed Shirley

Senior Pastor

Rev. Ed Shirley is the new pastor of Greenville First United Methodist Church. He served a fine congregation and nice community at Brundidge United Methodist Church for nine years. In addition to his pastorate in Pike County, He has served as a volunteer chaplain with the Troy Regional Medical Center and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department. 

Rev. Ed has served in the United Methodist Denomination in full-time ministry since 1996 and became an elder in 2002. He is a 1977 graduate of Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, Alabama, a 1987 graduate of Troy State University in broadcast journalism, and a 1992 graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree.

Rev. Ed has also served in the United States Air Force as a weather equipment electronics technician and as a participant in the Strategic Air Command. His secular employment varies as a truck stop manager, shipping clerk, correctional officer, 911 operator, grocery clerk, radio, and television broadcaster. You may have even seen him on a TV program called “Southern Gospel USA” with Thomas and Linda Roughton.

For the past decade, he have served the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church as the historian and vice-president of the AWF Historical Society. In addition, Rev. Ed  has served on the Commission of Archives and History. He enjoys promoting history by presenting dramatic monologues of historic persons such as John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Francis Asbury, John Newton, Horatio Spafford and many biblical characters.

Rev. Ed's family has a love for music. He especially enjoys playing the guitar and the mandolin, and singing hymns and Gospel songs. He and Sharon have been married for 33 years and they have a daughter named Amber. 

Rev. Ed has an open-door policy for his office and encourages visitors.  He is available to be a prayer warrior and friend in Christ.