By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Alabaster’s First United Methodist Church recently appointed a pair of new associate pastors to fill vacancies left when two former associate pastors moved on to other churches.

The church appointed new associate pastors Mike Densmore and Miriam Smith to fill the positions left by former associate pastors Denise Mullaney and Stephen Benefield.

Alabaster Methodist Senior Pastor Brian Erickson said Mullaney is moving with her family to Centre, where her husband will be serving as the senior pastor at Centre First United Methodist Church. Benefield is moving on to serve as the pastor of Lacey’s Spring United Methodist Church near Huntsville.

Erickson said Densmore recently retired after a long career as a Goodyear executive, where he directed the company’s leadership development and global strategic initiatives.

Densmore currently is the pastor of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church and is the assistant superintendent of The Southeast District of the North Alabama Conference.

He is married to Patsy-Coe, who is a licensed local pastor and recently retired from a career in education spanning job assignments in four states, read a biography on Alabaster Methodist’s website.

“Mike brings a wealth of church experience and also business experience through his time with Goodyear,” Erickson said.

Smith, a Mountain Brook native, recently graduated from Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., where she obtained post-graduate degrees in divinity and social work.

While attending Birmingham-Southern College, Smith helped found The Community Church Without Walls in Birmingham’s West End neighborhood.

Over the past several years, Smith has served with many ministries, including a rural food pantry and the United Methodist Children’s Home.

Last summer, Smith worked for Highlands United Methodist Church in downtown Birmingham, and helped with storm relief efforts at Alabaster Methodist’s Restore building in the wake of the April 2011 tornadoes.

“Miriam is an absolute delight, and she’s sharp as a tack,” Erickson said, noting Smith will be heavily involved in the church’s outreach programs. “She brings youthful energy that is matched with wisdom that is well beyond her age.”