The Reverend Bryan L. Carper began his appointment as pastor of Sycamore United Methodist Church on July 1, 2025. He is a licensed local pastor, and has served two prior appointments: Rocky RunUnited Methodist Church in Dewitt, Dinwiddie County from 2015-2024 and Waverly United Methodist from 2024-2025.He has been an active certified lay speaker since 2009. Bryan came into pastoral ministry directly after serving as Vice President of Stewardship Ministries for the Virginia United Methodist Foundation.
Before that, he had a 35 year career in investment banking for a major regional bank with his local office in Hopewell . Bryan graduated from Colonial Heights High School in 1976, then received his BA in History from Virginia Tech in 1980. He most recently graduated in 2021 from the five-year residency Course of Study for Ordained Ministry through Duke Divinity School in Durham NC.
He is a cradle Methodist whose family roots in the faith stretch back to German immigrants in 18th century SouthwestVirginia. In 1968, he belonged to an Evangelical United Brethren church in Columbus, where the first stirrings of the spirit were guiding him to a future in pastoral ministry. That was the year that the EUB and Methodist Churches made their historic unification.
Bryan previously served on the Board of Directors for the Petersburg Festival Chorus. Music and choir are a lifetime passion. He currently serves on the board of directors and is treasurer for the Petersburg Methodist Home for Girls Foundation, a charity which awards scholarships and grants promoting youth causes across the greater region.
the PEOPLE
Sycamore is a growing community of faith that welcomes everyone. We are well known for engaging our faith in mission and outreach efforts. We hope that others will join us as we seek to offer the good news of Jesus Christ to the world!
Sycamore is a church on the move. Our community of faith is rooted in tradition but also changes as the community around us becomes more diverse. Our church has members who have family ties to the church and many members have moved into the area being drawn by Fort Lee or other jobs.