About the pastor
LYSBETH BOND COCKRELL
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from Northeast Louisiana University
Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Louisiana Tech University
Counseling Degree in Counseling and Psychology from Louisiana State University
Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Methodist University
Positions:
St. Paschal’s Catholic Middle School
–West Monroe, LA where I taught the full curriculum
Ridgedale Academy (no longer active)
– West Monroe, LA where I taught English and Speech
During this gap---I was having our children and working on my degrees until I
returned to teaching when my husband’s job transferred him to the New Orleans district.
At that time we lived in Slidell, LA. and I returned to:
Clearwood Middle School – Slidell, LA where I taught English
Northshore High School – Slidell, LA where I taught English and Speech for one year,
but set up the Counseling Department the following year.
When my husband was transferred to another district we move to St. Amant, Louisiana
where I taught and worked as a High School Counselor at St. Amant High School – St. Amant, LA
I remained at St. Amant High School as a Counselor until I was asked to set up and run
the Families In Need of Services program throughout the parish. This was a state-legislated program
which was mandated for all court systems and schools throughout the state.
It was through this position and serving on staff of numerous church retreats that I began to feel
that God was calling me to enter the ministry. After 3-4 years of these experiences I was asked to serve
as Associate Pastor at First United Methodist in Alexandria, Louisiana. After two years I entered the
ministry program at Southern Methodist University to receive my Master’s Degree in Theology.
While commuting to SMU for my Divinity Degree I served the Doyline United Methodist Church
and the Sibley United Methodist Church. In my last semester I was transferred to serve
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church where I served until we moved to Maryland in 2010.
We moved to Maryland to be closer to our three children and six grandchildren. I was graciously
offered a pastorate at Cape St. Claire United Methodist Church where I served until 2016.
I was moved to Halethorpe United Methodist where I served until 2018, when I retired.
In 2022, after attending my first Retired Ministers’ Gathering, I was asked to consider serving at Wesley Chapel UMC.