Real people with real lives and real struggles gather at BUMC to support each other, hear the Good News and act on it, by helping others.
Worship is an opportunity to come together as a community of faith, to celebrate God's presence and work among us, and to connect with God through acts of praise, prayer and thanksgiving. Pastor's messages are bible based and uplifting. Click for more info about traditional Sunday worship or forming The Oasis, where parents and children build positive relationships with each other and with others. Email with questions or more information. |
Meet the Staff

Pastor: Doug Day
Pastor Doug is a single father of two adult children. Both his daughter and son, with their spouses, live in the KC area, which is a major reason for Doug returning to the area. Doug's daughter and husband were richly blessed with a son in 2024 and Doug's first grandchild.
“The most important thing parents can do is raise their children to be truthful, generous, caring adults. In addition to the bible, the Boy Scout oath and law is a really good place to start.” When his children were young, Doug, a former Boy Scout, had the opportunity and privilege to serve as Assistant Scout Master in the Boy Scout troop where his son earned his Eagle Scout award. (This, as hoped for, was one rank better than Doug’s “Life” rank.)
He also was able to create a new Tribe, in the Northland chapter of the YMCA, under the Y-Indian Princess program, to engage fathers and their daughters in a weekly program, where Doug and his daughter were part of the Mighty Chippewa tribe. Doug was blessed with the opportunity to coach both his daughter’s and his son’s youth soccer teams.
Doug is a KC area native, growing up north of the river during the school year and at Lake Lotawana during the summer. It is at that lake where Doug met his passion and began racing sailboats at age 5. Competition in that sport has taken Doug to races and championships all over the U.S..
Called to formal ministry later in life, Doug explains that he had spiritually gone a long way from God. Now, telling people of God’s grace and mercy, he confidently states that nobody – nobody – can be so far from God that God can’t love them back into a relationship with Him, with grace and mercy through Christ. Doug says, “It’s not about religion. It’s about relationship (with God).”
Children’s Ministry & Financial Secretary: Ms. Gail Stringer
Gail began attending BUMC in 1975. In addition to serving as the Financial Secretary, she also serves as the Director of Children’s education. Gail is wonderful with children and truly believes in teaching children about the Bible while making it fun and engaging.
As an active member of the church, Gail has served in the positions of Nursery Attendant and has taught Children Sunday School at all grade levels. Gail believes that if you “train children in the way, and when old, they will not stray.” Proverbs 22:6
Gail is very active in the life of BUMC and can be found volunteering her time doing a wide variety of activities. If there is something to be done at the church, Gail is there.
Pianist: Mrs. Ruth Ann Cleveland
Ruth Ann is the pianist for the services at BUMC. She, along with the pastor, is responsible for selecting hymns, songs, and service music to help Sunday morning worshipers have the best worship experience possible.
Ruth Ann graduated from William Jewell College in 1964, with a BA in music education K-12. Ruth Ann served as the contralto soloist at Grand Ave Temple UMC, taught 3rd grade, married her childhood sweetheart Keith, and raised eight active wonderful children. Together, Keith and Ruth Ann served as foster parents to many children.
Ruth Ann developed and directed music programs for Christian schools and churches over the years. She has also enjoyed passing on the passion, appreciation, and love of music to her many (hundreds of) private piano and vocal students.
These days, Ruth Ann enjoys her grandchildren, Bible Studies, basket weaving, rug making, playing music, and her dogs!
Ministry Leaders:
Baby Grace: Dr. Anne Farmer, co-founder
Anne Farmer serves as the Director of Buckner Baby Grace chapter. She can’t imagine life without serving mothers and children though Baby Grace. As one of the co-founders, she has been part of Baby Grace from the beginning and has no exit plan! Anne trusts God to lead her where He wants her to go. As the site director for Buckner Baby Grace, she and her team work diligently to help assist families with small children.
When she is not working on Baby Grace, you can find Anne either at school or with her family. She teaches senior English and Advanced Placement Literature and composition at Fort Osage High School. Anne believes God put her on a path to earn a doctorate in Education and in 2015, and He saw that to completion. The doctorate is her fourth post-secondary degree. Anne gives God the glory for those degrees and for her family.
Anne and her husband, Chris, have celebrated over 25 years of marriage. They have two sons: Jack will be a junior in high school and Sam will be a senior at Northwest Missouri State University. Sam also graduated from Marine Officer Candidate School in August of 2018. Both of her sons have earned their Eagle Scout rank. She is incredibly proud to be their mom and can’t believe her baby boys have grown so fast!
Anne loves to read (please read to your children – it is an indicator of success for every child), write poetry, and drink hot English Breakfast tea. She also loves to lay in a hammock in the shade and listen to the birds sing and toads croak while reflecting on all the blessings God has given her. “Grace and peace to you all!”
Baby Grace: Joann Peck
Having a passion for helping young parents with vital diapers and wipes, Joann led the move to offering diapers on a monthly basis and answered the call to Director. As Director, Joann coordinates the volunteers from other churches and from our community to come together to help families.
General Bible Studies: Pastor Doug