Pastor Alex is the Associate Pastor at FUPC. She grew up in Peoria, IL, and went to Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA) for her undergraduate studies, earning her Bachelor of Arts. While in Cedar Rapids she was involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Her call to ministry led her to complete her Master of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI and her Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During graduate school, she was able to engage in ministry in a number of settings including college campus ministry, chaplaincy with the retired community, and as a social worker at a skilled nursing facility. Alex served as a hospital chaplain and a licensed social worker at a dialysis clinic prior to joining the team at FUPC in October of 2018. She remains a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in the state of Illinois. Alex is passionate about meeting people where they are at and caring for all of God's people.  Alex's husband, Rev. Zach Lysdahl, is also a pastor serving a local church. They have two dogs (Nala and Phil). Alex enjoys spending time in God's creation, baking, gardening, and trying new things.

Stephanie Foltz joined the staff in November 2000. As Director of Christian Education, she works with the Christian Education Committee to oversee educational programming from birth through fifth grade and adults. Stephanie and her family relocated to this area on a military move in 1993. Originally from Winchester, Virginia, she has an undergraduate degree in History from Westhampton College of the University of Richmond and a graduate degree in Museum Education from the College of William and Mary. She is a member of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) and serves as a POINT (Presbyterians Organized in Nurture and Teaching) Rep for the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy. Stephanie enjoys taking walks, gardening, learning to paint with watercolors, traveling to see her family (especially her grandsons, two in Alaska and two in Delaware), plus exploring and photographing God’s awesome creation. 

Wyatt is the Director of Youth Ministries and Digital Media at FUPC. Born in Danville, IL, Wyatt has lived back and forth between Illinois and Indiana. He graduated from Georgetown Ridge-Farm High School before attending Lincoln Christian University earning his Bachelor of Arts in Youth and Family Ministry. While there he served at different churches in their youth ministries and many different camp ministries. Wyatt has a passion for students and for his lovely wife, Katelyn Bailey-Lenhart. 

Jami is the church’s part-time Administrative Assistant.  She was born and raised in Belleville, graduating from Belleville West, Belleville Area College (SWIC), and Illinois State University.  She has lived in Swansea since 1990. Jami retired from full-time employment in the summer of 2021.  To remain active she decided to return to work part-time with a nonprofit organization and joined FUPC's staff in September 2022. Her son and daughter-in-law blessed her with a beautiful granddaughter on her birthday in 2022!  They reside in Belleville.  Jami enjoys spending time with family and friends, yoga, reading, and spending as much time as possible outside walking, hiking, and gardening.  

Andy Jensen joined our First United staff on August 1, 2012. As Director of Music Ministries his work includes directing the Chancel Choir and United Bells, and providing general oversight of our church music program. A native of central Illinois, Andy came to Belleville with a new appointment as Director of Choral Activities at Southwestern Illinois College in 2011. He served in a similar capacity from 2008-2011 at Arkansas Northeastern College. Andy held full graduate assistantships in choral music while pursuing the Master of Music at Illinois State University and Doctor of Musical Arts at The University of Southern Mississippi where he studied both conducting and educational pedagogy under Gregory Fuller, John Flannery, Karyl Carlson, James Major, and Timothy Fredstrom. He is married to Cathy, and they have two children, James and Eli. 

Diana Umali has assisted with the music ministry at the church since Nov. 2017, providing music for Sunday services and accompanying the Chancel Choir. Currently, she is a music professor at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL and enjoys performing chamber music with various groups in the St. Louis area.