Prague & Arlington United Methodist Churches

Pastor Sam serves both the Prague and Arlington First United Methodist Churches in the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church.

He is especially fond of his three children-Bekah, Hannah and Samuel; and his daughter in law Shiloh.

But truth be told, Pastor Sam can't seem to stop talking about his new grandson SJ! Just ask and he'll be glad to show you a picture-or two-or....

Pastor Sam is an avid baseball fan; he enjoys Biblical Greek, America's Got Talent, extremely spicy food, laughter, and walking.

He was raised in Colorado Springs but has lived in Oklahoma most of his adult life. He has three earned degrees in Theology and one in Adult Online Learning. The most memorable times he's had working were with the Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City, MO. and the Children's Center in Bethany, OK. 

Melinda Pruett began working in late December 2015 as our children's team lead with core responsibilities to keep our children’s programming going strong.  She is working with the children’s Sunday school, Quest programming, and Vacation Bible School. 

Melinda has lived and worked in the Prague area a good number of years.  She and her husband, James (a cradle roll member of Prague UMC) have two children, Molly and Seth.   Melinda has always been “churchy” as she put it, attending vacation Bible schools and summer camp.  Melinda has worked several years in the Prague Sunday school and nursery, and has served with Quest for many years. 

She is a volunteer in the Food Bank program and is a reliable “roller” at kolache baking time.  Melinda’s other interests include sewing and farm chores, notably cattle, chickens, and cats.

     Rev. Sharon Capron grew up in Ohio.  She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in the field of Education.  She retired in Oklahoma, having served as a junior high science teacher for twenty-four years, Science Department chair for Choctaw Junior High for a dozen years or so, and Choctaw/Nicoma Park School District Coordinator of Elementary Education for seven years. 

     She and Reese Capron married in 1979 and raised out their five children.  The family moved to the Prague area in 1981, when the Corps of Engineers took the farm for Lake Arcadia.  Although the children are grown and have families of their own, Reese and Sharon continue on the farm with Reese's brother Ted just across the creek.

     Sharon returned to school at Oklahoma City University after retirement from public education.  She studied Christian Education and traveled the deacon track to her 2008 ordination in the United Methodist Church.  Sharon followed twenty-seven years serving as a lay person in the Prague United Methodist Church with serving as an ordained deacon in the same church, where she continues to the present time.

     Sharon's primary responsibilities are with the young, the elderly, the incarcerated, and the deaf.  Among her regular duties are teaching children's classes, making home/living center visits, preaching and teaching at a local prison, and teaching sign language at the church.  She enjoys working with our staff in many different kinds of service as needed.

Joe Ann Pritchett was born and raised in Prague, Oklahoma.  She is a graduate of the Prague High School and married Orvis Pritchett on the August 2, 1957.  They have three grown children – two boys (Russell and Preston) and one girl (Christy) – who all of Prague.  They also have six grown grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two foster great-grandchildren.

God called Joe Ann into the ministry thirty-three years ago as a Consecrated Deaconess in the church of the Nazarene and extended the calling into preaching.  God led her into compassionate ministry, which covers ministering to the homeless, victims of domestic violence and rape, crisis ministering, prison ministry, drug and alcohol abuse, and gambling support groups.

Through the leadership of God, she started A New Beginning Ministry of Prague, Inc., with support groups and a shelter for abused women and children.  The shelter was in operation for ten years.

In December 2012, she officially retired from this ministry and it was rolled into a new ministry, A New Beginning Ministry of the Prague United Methodist Church in December, 2012.  The ministry continues today with Orvis and Joe Ann always there as needed for assistance.

Until her retirement, she was a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church (one of the first in the Stillwater District) and also a Licensed Belief Therapist, which is a faith based counseling program through The Therapon Institute of Crocket, Texas.  She now serves as a lay minister on the staff of both churches and is available for consultation with anyone, especially women.