North Texas Conference
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The North Texas Conference is an
Annual Conference A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main pu ...
(a regional episcopal area of the
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
). This conference encompasses a triangle-shaped northern portion of the state of
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
that spans from Dallas to Wichita Falls to Paris. The conference includes a small geographic area relative to most annual conferences. The North Texas Conference comprises 301 churches, 141,827 members, 4 districts and 20 counties. Administrative offices are located in
Plano, Texas Plano ( ) is a city in Collin County and Denton County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 285,494 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. History European settlers came to the area near ...
. It is part of the South Central Jurisdictional Conference. On September 1, 2012
Bishop Michael McKee
began leading the conference.


Districts

The North Texas Annual Conference is subdivided into four smaller regions, called "districts", which provide further administrative functions for the operation of local churches in cooperation with each other. Each district has a District Superintendent who has a vital role in determining the appointments of clergy to local churches. The districts that are comprised by the North Texas Conference are: * '

''. Th

comprises most of Dallas County. The 79 churches and fellowships in th

share a mission field that is the most economically, ethnically, and culturally diverse part of the North Texas Conference. Persons living in th

face unique struggles and challenges. Likewise, the churches that comprise th

have unique ways of assessing their needs, reaching new persons, and responding to their neighbors. Th

allows the District Superintendent to oversee the pastors and laity of these 79 congregations to dream dreams and implement measurable and creative ways of reaching the neighbors and neighborhoods in the Metro area. Over the next 10 years it is expected that th

will increase in population by 9%. District Superintendent i

* '

''. Th

mission field is one of continued growth. Projected growth in parts of Dallas, Wise, and Kaufman counties is considerable. Expansive growth is expected in Denton, Collin, and Rockwall counties. Overall th

can anticipate 39% population growth by 2019. By 2019 the population of th

will almost equal th

population. The 66 churches and fellowships in th

share a mission field that is developing, accelerating, and expanding. The District Superintendent, pastors, and churches of th

have a unique and evolving mission field and need to strategize, implement, and reach the largest influx of persons moving into North Texas in the next 10 years. District Superintendent i

* '

''. Th

is made up of 88 churches on the eastern side of the North Texas Conference. It stretches from Greenville on the West to Mt. Vernon on the East, Bonham to Avery on the north and Aley to Winnsboro on the South. Sixty two pastors serve with over 12,000 professing members to minister the grace of Christ to more than 116,000 households in this broad mission field. Through congregations that are county seat, town and country, family chapels, college campuses, and even a 'cowboy' church, th

is alive and active, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The District Superintendent i

* '

''. Th

comprises rural, town and country, and county seat congregations in the North Texas Conference. The 68 churches and fellowships in th

can anticipate 6% population growth over the next decade. Relating, reaching and responding to the lifestyles and mindset of those who live in our rural town and country settings take a different set of skills for the District Superintendent, pastors and churches to connect, grow and send forth disciples who will transform the world for Christ.The District Superintendent i


Centers

*'
Center for Leadership Development
Th
Center for Leadership Development (CLD)
exists to help clergy and laity recognize God’s call of Living Discipleship Fruitfulness, Leading Congregational Fruitfulness and Developing Missional Fruitfulness to live out our mission “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” The Center Director i

*'
Center for Missional Outreach
Th
Center for Missional Outreach
works to understand and combat the causes of poverty through connectionalism. The Center’s goal is to facilitate this process by promoting best practices and helping churches that need a little extra assistance and mentoring. The Center’s belief is that ministry with the poor begins by listening to and learning from those affected by poverty, those with firsthand knowledge of circumstances and potential solutions. The Center Director i

*'
Center for New Church Development and Congregational Transformation
Th
Center for New Church Development and Congregational Transformation
exists to create a culture of “churches planting churches” as we plant new communities of faith, and to facilitate congregational transformation in existing churches. The Center Director i

*'

The Center for Connectional Resources provides administrative services for the churches of The North Texas Conference. These services include the central treasury, pensions, health insurance, property and liability insurance, and others. The Center Director i


Institutions (owned by or with a strong relationship with the North Texas Conference)


Dallas Bethlehem CenterBridgeport Camp & Conference CenterC.C. Young HomeMethodism's BreadbasketMethodist Medical Center of DallasProject TransformationProthro Center at Lake TexomaSouthern Methodist University
(includin
Perkins School of Theology

Texas Methodist FoundationWesley-Rankin Community CenterWesley VillageZIP Code Connection


Statistics

*2014 Membership: 141,827 *2014 Number of Churches in Conference: 301 *2014 Number of Counties: 20


2016 General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference Delegates

The following delegates were elected at th

held in June 2014 for th
2016 General Conference
on May 10–20, 2016, in Portland, Oregon, and th
2016 South Central Jurisdictional Conference
on July 13–16, 2016, in Wichita, Kansas. Clergy Delegates to General Conference * Jan Davis
First UMC Rowlett
* Clayton Oliphint
First UMC Richardson
* Jill-Jackson Sears
Lake Highlands UMC, Dallas
* Dr. Ronald Henderson

* Don Underwood
Christ UMC, Plano
Lay Delegates to General Conference * Tim Crouch
First UMC Denton
* Linda Parks
Conference Lay Leader
* Kelly Carpenter
Lovers Lane UMC, Dallas
* Ricky Harrison
First UMC Richardson
* Richard Hearne
University Park UMC, Dallas
Clergy Delegates to Jurisdictional Conference * Owen Ross
Christ’s Foundry, Dallas
* Joe Stobaugh
Grace Avenue UMC, Frisco
* Lisa Greenwood
Texas Methodist Foundation
* Ouida Lee
Church of the Disciple, DeSoto
* Tim Morrison
Custer Road UMC, Plano
Lay Delegates to Jurisdictional Conference * Gretchen Toler-Debus
Oak Lawn UMC, Dallas
* Daniel Soliz

* Sally Vonner
First UMC Grand Prairie
* Henry Lessner, Assoc. Conference Lay Leader

* Timmy Clark
First UMC Rockwall
Alternates Clergy: * Andy Stoker
First UMC Dallas
* Derek Jacobs
The Village, DeSoto
* Holly Bandel
Stonebridge UMC, McKinney
Lay: * Herman Totten
Trinity UMC, Denton
* Serena Echert, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries * Don Wiley
Lovers Lane UMC, Dallas


Key Conference Leaders


Bishop Michael McKee


Bishop effective September 2012 *Extended Cabinet of North Texas Conference *Center Directors (see listed above in Centers section) *District Superintendents (see listed above in Districts section) *Delegates t
2016 General Conference

Jurisdictional Conference
(see listed above in Delegates section)
Linda Parks
Conference Lay Leader effective July 2012


See also

*
Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church An annual conference is a regional decision-making body within various Methodist denominations. Conferences are a key characteristic of the connectional system of government in Methodism. Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy me ...


References

{{reflist


External links


North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church
Methodism in Texas United Methodism by region United Methodist Annual Conferences