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Bethpage UMC welcomes Pastor Eugene L. Martino, Jr.




Gene and Becky

Gene and Becky

Gene Martino, Jr. was recently appointed the pastor of Bethpage United Methodist Church in Bethpage.

He also serves Westmoreland UMC in Westmoreland. He and his wife, Becky of 40 years, live on their 50-acre farm outside of Westmoreland with four cats, five dogs, guineas, chickens and four Jousting horses.

Becky, a former United States Air Force Captain, works at Hendersonville TriStar Hospital as a labor and delivery nurse. They have two children, Sarah – who lives in Nashville and is employed by Dollar General Corporate in Goodlettsville and Louis – a detective with the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Originally from Biloxi, Miss. Gene is a lifelong United Methodist, was ordained an Elder in 1987 in the Mississippi Annual Conference and transferred his membership to the Tennessee Annual Conference several years ago.  He has been in the United Methodist Ministry since 1978.  He has served in various positions and ministry in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, Germany and Texas before coming to Tennessee. 

Their family lived in Germany three years while Becky was in the United States Air Force.  While in Germany Gene worked at the various Base Chapels leading music in worship and taught at the Base High School where he was the Drama Instructor. He also studied voice with the late Maestro, Mr. Michael Rhodes of Trier, Germany, singing in operas, recitals, concerts and theatres.

Gene is a highly recognized senior member of the Order of DeMolay, a service fraternity for young men that promotes excellence in leadership. 

He is a member of the Freelancers Joust Troop where he also serves as the chaplain.  The Freelancers are a professional stunt and equestrian troop run by Roy and Kate Cox that does full contact, heavy armored jousting demonstrations and tournaments all over North America.  The closest venue is the Tennessee Renaissance Festival in Arrington/Triune through the month of May, where Gene portrays Sir Ian MacFarlane. He is a three-time East Coast Champion and two-time United States Champion in heavy armored Jousting. For more information, visit

www.umc.org/news-and-media/the-jousting-pastor.

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