Rev. Todd Harris, Northwest District Superintendent, North Texas Conference, UNC

In addition to his pastoral appointment, Rev. Harris also currently serves as chair of the conference’s Board of Pensions and Health Benefits.

He previously served, in various capacities, on the conference Board of Ordained Ministry from 2003-11, as well as senior pastor at First United Methodist Church of Allen, TX.

Dr. Ron Allen, Homiletical Consultant -Professor of Preaching Emeritus at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Dr. Allen received a Ph.D. degree from Drew University (1977), a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York (1974), and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Phillips University (1971). He is the author of more than 40 books and more than 100 articles and chapters in books.

Rev. Felicia Hopkins, District Superintendent, Abilene District NWTX CONF. UMC at United Methodist Church.

Rev. Hopkins has served 15 years in local churches and also served at the Wesley Foundation at the University of Texas El Paso. Her experience with the conference has included service on the Board of Ordained Ministry, the Conference Committee on Episcopacy, the Hispanic/Latino Action Team, and the Abilene Area Board of Missions.

Dr. Richard R. Ward, Fred B. Craddock Professor Emeritus, Phillips Seminary

Dr. Ward is the author of “Speaking from the Heart: Preaching with Passion” and a number of contributions and articles for the disciplines of homiletics, performance theory, and communication studies. A second book, “Speaking of the Holy: The Communicative Art of Preaching,” was published in May 2002. Dr. Ward brings to the study of preaching a rich background in performance studies and practices.

Rev. Karen Horan, Director of Creating / Vitalizing Congregations and Developing Leaders, Rio Texas Conference.

Rev. Horan has been on the Conference staff since 2017.  Prior to this role, Karen was the founding pastor of Gruene United Methodist Church in New Braunfels (2006-2017) where she and an amazing team of laity grew that church to just over 700.  Karen has a BA from UNT, and an MDiv from Perkins School of Theology.  Prior to her being a pastor, she was a high school / middle school teacher for 10 years.  She is married to Bill, has two adult children and two grandchildren.

Rev. Ruth Martin, serving East St. Paul United Methodist Church, Las Misiones District.

Rev. Dr. Marcus A.L. Freeman, III, Crossroads District Superintendent, Rio Texas Conference.

Dr. Freeman received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Perkins School of Theology in 1998, a Master of Divinity degree from Perkins in 1991, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Huston Tillotson University in 1984. He was formerly appointed as Director of Leadership Vitality in the Rio Texas Conference. He has served in a number of pastoral appointments and in other roles in the Rio Texas Conference and the former Southwest Texas Conference.    

Rev. Edlen Cowley, Metro District Superintendent, North Texas Conference.

Rev. Cowley has served as an ordained clergyperson in the North Texas Conference (NTC) of the United Methodist Church since the year 2000. He was ordained a deacon in the year 2000 and an elder in 2003.

Edlen has served in many diverse ministry settings; he was an Assistant/Associate Pastor at St. Luke “Community” UMC, East Dallas (1994-2002), and an Associate/Campus Pastor St Andrew UMC, Plano (2006-2014). 

He has started two new churches in the (NTC); a multiethnic church, The East Grand/Owenwood Foundry Church in East Dallas (2003-2006), and a suburban church, St. Andrew Frisco/Connection UMC in Frisco (2010-2014). Since 2014, Edlen has served as Senior Pastor of Fellowship UMC in Trophy Club.

Edlen and his wife Jennifer have been married for 28 years. They have three children: Seth Tanner (21), Indigo Jillian-Marye (19), and Willow Eden-Victoria (15).

Rev. Dr. Zan Holmes, Pastor Emeritus of the 6,000 member St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas; adjunct professor emeritus of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology.

The Rev. Dr. Holmes, Jr. has authored several books, including Reaching for Renewal and When Trouble Comes, and has written chapters in Power in the Pulpit: How America’s Most Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons. He’s also widely known for his role as narrator and host of the “Disciple I Bible Study” video series.  

Rev. Dr.  Lucretia Facen, Senior Pastor St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX.

Rev. Dr. Edgar Bazan, currently serving at the Board of Ordained Ministry, the District Committee on Ordain Ministry, the Center for Church Development, the Congregational Assessment, Response and Transformation (CART), and as an alternate delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. Edgar also teaches Licensing School for Local Pastors and the Course of Study (COSS) at Perkins School of Theology S.M.U. and serves as a mentor pastor in the Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence.

Rev. Dr. Sheron Patterson, Senior Pastor of Hamilton Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, one of the largest African American UMC congregations in the North Texas Annual Conference. Dr. Patterson has infused innovation into the ministry of United Methodists across the nation as a prolific author of nine books, and countless articles. Her most recent book on self-leadership has been taught in leadership classes at the university level and in the training of hospital executives and law enforcement top brass.

Rev. Dr. Thomas O. Brumett is Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in McKinney, Texas.  He received his Doctorate of Ministry from Perkins School of Theology.  Tommy has preached the inclusive, transformative love of Christ from tiny churches on the high plains to large, fast-growing suburban churches and everywhere in between, growing congregations, overseeing new church starts, and sharing community.