Vance Rains, is first and foremost a husband to Kelly Rains and a dad to Malinda and John Rains, and daughter-in-law, Elle Rains.

Born and raised in Orlando, FL, Vance attended the University of Central Florida, majoring in Communications and Public Speaking.  After graduating from college, Vance and Kelly joined the First United Methodist Church of Orlando, where he first sensed his call to ministry, and later served as the Director of Youth Ministry.  Vance went to Duke Divinity School, earning a Masters of Divinity, and then earned a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and Church Leadership at Asbury Theological Seminary.  Vance recently completed the Spiritual Companion Certificate program at St. Thomas University.

Vance was ordained by the Florida Annual Conference as a Deacon in 1993 and an Elder in 1996.

With thirty years of varied ministry experiences, Vance is currently the Lead Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Orlando, and has previously served as the Senior Pastor of First Church Coral Springs and Ortega UMC, Jacksonville, Campus Pastor of the Wesley Foundation at Florida State University, Executive Director of Higher Education and Campus Ministry for the Florida Annual Conference, Founding Pastor of a new United Methodist congregation called The Grapevine in Port St. Lucie, and as the Minister of Program and Administration at First UMC of Winter Park.

Vance’s passions and interests include preaching and teaching, leadership, creative programming, and mission work in Guatemala.  In his free time, he enjoys blogging, reading, travel, riding his Harley, “treasure” hunting at antique shops and thrift stores, “creative” projects, and tending to his growing collection of bonsai trees and cacti.