Life at Mt. Lebanon UMC
We are a small church with a big heart for loving God and serving God’s people. Like a family, our congregation has members of all ages with a diversity of thought and backgrounds. We celebrate all the wonderful things that we bring to the table and offer opportunities for each to grow and serve others in Jesus’ name. Our church family is strong in supporting each other through good times and bad and in serving others near and far.
At Mt. Lebanon, we believe that having fun together is pleasing to God. When we gather together, we move easily from deep worship to times of learning and service to comfortable get-togethers filled with fun, food and laughter.
If this sounds like the kind of church home you’ve been hoping for, we hope you’ll stop by.
All are welcome here!
We are a part of the Reconciling Ministries Network.
As a Reconciling Ministry, we celebrate that LGBTQ+ persons are a good expression of God’s diverse creation and exists to advocate for the affirmation of all of God’s children in the Church and the world. We are committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church and we envision a transformed Church that ensures justice, equity, and dignity for all of God’s children in their diverse intersecting identities.
Church Staff
Rev. Kelly Conner
Rev. Kelly Conner was born at Christiana and raised in Seaford, DE. Her favorite part of being a Sussex County resident was the beaches and the country roads. Her mom and dad, both retired teachers, continue to live in Seaford today. She has a twin sister, who works in Communications for Lockheed Martin and lives with her husband in Huntsville, AL. They were married in 2018, and Pastor Kelly did their wedding.
After graduating from high school at Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown, DE, Pastor Kelly attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA, majoring in Religious Studies and minoring in Spanish. She graduated 2nd in her class and was admitted to Duke Divinity School for her first masters’ program, a 3-year MDiv. At Duke she found her passion for theology and doctrine, which helped her to find deeper faith. She accredits her understanding of who God really is to her academic work, and feels indebted to her professors for helping her in her faith journey. She went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude and to enter into a year-long ThM program wherein she made a point to study more practical application of faith, writing a thesis arguing in favor of adult faith formation through doctrinal study. Also at Duke, Pastor Kelly made friends who taught her about the importance of social justice and Christian advocacy in our communities, and she has carried that with her into her church work.
Pastor Kelly has served as pastor of Allen-Asbury UMC in Allen, MD, Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation at Salisbury Univ., pastor of Immanuel UMC in Grasonville, MD, and pastor of Mt. Lebanon UMC in Wilmington, DE. Currently she is serving in her 4th appointment as pastor at both Mt. Lebanon UMC and Chester Bethel UMC, both in Wilmington. She brings to her two churches a youthful energy, an open mind, and hope for the UMC’s future. She also brings with her a furry daughter: a seven-year-old miniature dachshund named Dinah! Dinah has cuddled Pastor Kelly through the most difficult aspects of ministry, and she loves giving kisses to everyone, chasing squirrels, groundhogs, and bunnies, and long walks in the woods.
Christian Lyons
Christian is our Director of Music Ministries. Trained in piano and organ, Christian is currently studying at Catholic University to receive his doctoral degree in Music Composition. He is kind, incredibly talented, and our members and friends love to hear him play! Occasionally he even plays for us his own compositions, which are always congregation-pleasers. His skills and his can-do mindset inspire us and bring us closer to God. Christian plays music during worship services, including preludes, postludes, and Special Music, and he directs our church choir. He is also willing to play for weddings and funerals pending his school schedule. He is supported by his lovely parents, Amy and Scott, and his wife, Courtney, who all join us for worship. Christian and Courtney were married in June 2020. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in October 2023.
Chelsea Watts
Chelsea is our Administrative Assistant, and we are so thankful to have her on staff! Born and raised in Wilmington, DE and here to stay! She is a wife and a mom to a beautiful little girl, a lab mix and a dachshund. She has an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education and has a passion for teaching young children and learning through them. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys photography, arts & crafts, spending time at the Delaware beaches and Disney World.
A United Methodist Church
Mount Lebanon is part of the larger United Methodist Church. The Methodist movement was founded in England by John and Charles Wesley in the 1700’s. It quickly spread to the American colonies and became a popular Protestant religion in this part of the world and beyond.
The early Methodists invited people to know God’s grace and to grow in their love of God through committed Christian living. Their first priority was to put faith and love into action. This focus on "practical divinity" is still a hallmark of United Methodism. We strive to combine personal holiness with social holiness.
Today, Mount Lebanon continues this tradition. Our local church is connected to other United Methodist churches through the Wilmington District of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference. The Conference is part of the global United Methodist Church and includes all of Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. At Mount Lebanon, we know we’re not perfect, but we trust that God’s love is always at work in us.