John Thielen

John was born in FT Belvoir Virgina and raised in Fairfax Virginia. John joined the US Army reserve in

1985 and then transferred to the Navy full time in 1989. When he left the Navy in 1992 out of Kings Bay

GA, he stayed in Jacksonville Florida since most of his dad’s side of the family was in the area. John was

raised as a Catholic, but his late wife Debra brought him to Orange Park Methodist Church in 2011.

OPMC is where John’s faith has grown, and he has found a new passion to help others through the

Methodist Men and as the Director of Culinary Services.