Meet The Staff
Rev. Dr. Anthony Hood
Senior Pastor
The Rev. Dr. Anthony R. Hood is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and Ecumenical Theological Seminary. In June of 2011, He earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.
Dr. Hood was ordained an Elder by the Detroit Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in May of 2004. He has previously served as an associate pastor at Hope United Methodist Church in Southfield Michigan, as the pastor of Berea St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Highland Park Michigan and Scott Memorial United Methodist Churches in Detroit Michigan. On July 1, 2016, he was appointed to serve as pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Farmington.
Debbie Tedrick
Director of Music
Debbie is a theater and vocal music instructor, conductor, performer (piano/voice), and arts administrator. Debbie is from Farmington Hills, Michigan, attended Southfield Christian High School, and went on to get a Bachelor of Music degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Central Florida, Orlando. She has also studied music at The University of Texas, Austin, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After receiving her MFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, she worked as a Professor of Theater at UCF, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in Vocal Pedagogy/Style, Theater History/Dramatic Literature, and Music Directing-Conducting Music Productions. Currently, Debbie is the Producer/Co-Director/Music Director of a youth theatre program at St. Dunstan’s Theatre in Cranbrook. Debbie is an Adjunct Theatre & Music Professor at Rochester University, teaching Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, Voice Pedagogy, Music Foundations, and Vocation in Practice/Identity.
Debbie owns InterACT Entertainment, a music and theatre production company. As a writer, Debbie has published academic, show reviews, and entertainment articles for The Sondheim Review. And as a creative “Second ACT,” Debbie also owns a Soapery (soaps, candles, bath & body products) called Second ACT Soaps-n-Such. She enjoys vending at fairs and festivals when she’s not performing, conducting, and directing music. Debbie loves all things music, so please feel free to contact her at dtedrick@farmingtonfumc.org with any music ideas to connect and serve together at Farmington First United Methodist Church.
Yaroslav Daniels
Organist/Accompanist
Ukrainian native Yaroslav Daniels is a concert pianist and winner of numerous international music competitions in the United States, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. He is a performing member of Tuesday Musicale of Detroit including concerts at Steinway Music Galleries, the Comic Opera Guild, and LaCorda music associations.
Yaroslav earned his Master's degree in Piano Performance in the United States and his Bachelor's and another Master's degree at the prestigious Dnipro Academy of Music in Ukraine. Yaroslav was a soloist of Dnipro State House of Organ and Chamber music, frequently performing with prominent symphonic orchestras and in international music festivals. He currently gives solo and collaborative concerts with acclaimed musicians, choirs, and bands in concert tours across the United States and Europe. Since February 2022 Yaroslav organized or participated in more than 25 Benefit Concerts for Ukraine raising thousands of dollars in humanitarian help for Ukraine.