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Lay Leadership

The early Methodist movement grew through the efforts of laity who led small groups, taught Bible study, provided outreach ministry, and led the administrative life of the church. Those efforts continue today with the lay leaders who serve our church community in so many ways. While we nominate leaders as a congregation each year, some committee nominations are approved by the Charge Conference as required by the United Methodist Book of Discipline.

Contact: Dr. Mike Marshall | 817-339-2409

2024 Officers and Members
The Board of Stewards and The Charge Conference
First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, Texas

Church Council

  • Approve budget
  • Create and monitor long-range planning
  • Approve other program and worship matters as they occur
  • Meet 6 times per year or as needed
  • Serve 3-year term

Church Council Members

Council Chair: Kyle Wagner
Council Chair-Elect: Carma Anderson
Board of Stewards Chair/Lay Leader: Carma Anderson
Board of Stewards Chair-Elect: Barry Hudson
Finance Chair: Sandra Bembenek
Finance Chair-Elect: To be elected in 2024
Foundation President: Ashley Johnson
Trustees Chair: Clark Sykes
Staff Parish Relations Chair: Cindy Moon
Staff Parish Relations Chair-Elect: To be elected in 2024
Lay Leadership Committee Member: Ken Seeling
Youth Representative: Laura Toulouse
UMW President: Linda Kennedy
UMM Representative: Andy Grubb
Treasurer: Thane Arthur
Senior Pastor: Rev. Lance Marshall
Executive Director: Allison Alvarado

Class of 2024
Jim Whitton
Carol Popp

Class of 2025
Allison Roderick
Chris Cotten

Class of 2026
Tracey Barnett
Kevin Walters

Staff Parish Relations Committee

  • Establish structures of support and accountability for pastors and staff
  • Help staff set priorities that strengthen our congregation’s total ministry
  • Provide annual evaluation of pastors and other staff
  • Recommend candidates to Charge Conference for ordained ministry
  • Meet monthly or as needed
  • Serve 3-year term

Staff Parish Relations Committee Members

Chair: Cindy Moon
Chair-Elect: To be elected

Class of 2024
D.D. Holmes
Jeff Bond
Tim Burch

Class of 2025
Hector Aldape
Cindy Young
Jody Sanders

Class of 2026
Cindy Moon
Jennifer Hurd
Kirk Millican

Lay Member to Annual Conference: Dan Darr
Lay Leader: Carma Anderson
Staff Representative: Rev. Lance Marshall
Executive Director: Allison Alvarado

Personnel Committee

  • Act as small sub-group of Staff Parish Relations Committee
  • Meet as needed for specific projects related to policies and personnel issues

Personnel Committee Members

Chair: Susan Barley
Megan Fahey
Jim Whitton
Ann Dunkin

Nominations & Lay Leadership Committee

  • Match people — and their gifts, abilities, and experience — to committees, task forces, boards and commissions, etc.
  • Meet 4 or 5 times in fall
  • Serve 3-year term

Committee on Nominations & Lay Leadership Development

Chairs: Rev. Lance Marshall
Staff Representatives: Allison Alvarado & Mike Marshall
Recording Secretary: Rhonda Gaber

Class of 2024
Kelly Grossman
Rand Toulouse
Ken Seeling

Class of 2025
Meg Garman
Ashley McCollum
Ted Bauer

Class of 2025
Don Bowman
Dawn Potter
Linda Murphy

Lay & Reserve Members to Annual Conference

  • Attend and participate in Annual Conference
  • Meet 3 days in June
  • Serve 3-year term

Lay & Reserve Members to Annual Conference Members

Carol Hampton
Dan Darr
Steve Fagan
Jeanne Cochran
Julie Fagan
Carol Harrell
Pat Jamison
Ann Dunkin

Reserve Members
Carolyn Stephens, Glenda Maynard, Ashley McCollum

Commission on Finance

  • Set budget, see that it is followed, and amend quarterly as needed
  • Inform congregation of church finances
  • Meet monthly
  • Serve 3-year term

Committee on Finance Members

Chair: Sandra Bembenek
Chair-Elect: To be elected in 2024

Class of 2024
Dr. Michael Morris
Clint Cockerell
Nathan Vasseur

Class of 2025
Sarah Harris
Bob Scott
Ryan Kettle
Mary Barkley
Ted Bauer

Class of 2026
Amy Sorley
Jay Isaacs
Curt Wren
Jennifer Sanders
Sandra Bembenek
Chris Katri

Ex-Officio Members
Board of Stewards/Lay Leader
Trustee Chair
Church Council Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Stewardship Chair
Foundation President
SPRC Chair
Lay Member to Annual Conference

Staff Representatives:
Rev. Lance Marshall
Steve Fagan

Board of Trustees

  • Supervise and maintain all property and physical aspects of FUMCFW
  • Report annually to Board of Stewards on state of property
  • Maintain adequate insurance coverage and develop appropriate management policies
  • Make annual inspection of property and submit budget
  • Meet monthly or as needed
  • Serve 3-year term

Board of Trustees Members

Chair: Clark Sykes

Class of 2024
Barry Hudson
Andrea Rankin
Lindsey Childs

Class of 2025
Trevor Shive
Meaghan Nowell
Clark Sykes

Class of 2026
Patricia Gieger
John Cockrell
Andrew Norman

Trustee Emeritus: Don Stegall
Accessibility Advisory Task Force: Joan Gaspard
Hospitality, Safety & Security: Ron Hicks
Staff Representatives: Rev. Lance Marshall, Mark Sorley, Michaela Lidecker

Program Area Chairs

  • Lead as nominated by committees and councils
  • Serve the needs of our ministries and programs

Program Area Chairs

Children’s Council: Ashley McCollum
Youth Ministries: Tracey Barnett
Young Adult Ministry: Marco & Victoria Gutierrez
Adult Education: Bill Boyd
Library: Carolyn Grieser
Archives: Lucille Pumphrey
Congregational Care Ministries: Jeanne Cochran
Senior Adult Ministry: Carol Harrell

First Street Methodist Mission Board

  • Advise Mission Staff
  • Approve annual budget
  • Hear reports from Mission ministry activities
  • Strengthen existing Mission ministries and assist with development of new ministries as needed
  • Meet 6 times per year
  • Serve 3-year term

First Street Methodist Mission Board Members

Board of Directors
Chair: Rev. Lance Marshall
President of the Board: Pat Jamison
Executive Director FUMC: Allison Alvarado
Director: Bernie Scheffler

Board Members

Class of 2024
Rachel Amerson
TW Brown
Pat Jamison
Bill Lebo
Bette McDowell
Jacque Wolf

Class of 2025
John Dewar
Jim Engelland
Mary Katri
Bridget Karr
Natalie Martin

Class of 2026
Henry Parker
Charme Robarts
Ken Seeling
Karriem Sultan
Frank Tilley
Mark Tittle

First United Methodist Church Weekday Ministries Board

  • Update and maintain current policy handbook
  • Approve hiring of School Director, annual budget, and any major policy recommendations or changes such as tuition and/or hours of operation
  • Meet quarterly
  • Serve 2-year term

First United Methodist Church Weekday Ministries Board Members

Board of Directors

President: Lauren Schmid
Parent Representative: Lauren Lewkowicz, Anna Varghese
Church Representative: Brigid Allen, Erin Perkes, Melanie Rogers
Teacher Representative: Stephanie Brown, Ashley Parsons

Ex-officio Members:

Nina Burrows: Preschool Director
Sara Walters: Preschool Assistant & Board Secretary
Paula Wagstaff: PDO Director
Steve Fagan & Ralph Green: FUMC Business Office
Mike Marshall: Supervisor of Preschool & PDO

Methodist Justice Ministry Board

  • Develop strategic plan for growth and continuity
  • Raise awareness and capital
  • Strengthen existing programs and develop new ones
  • Meet about 2 – 3 times per year when called
  • Serve 3-year term

Methodist Justice Ministry Board Members

Chair: Nelson Holm

Class of 2024
Sandra Garcia
Nelson Holm
Mike Moncrief
Carol McQuien
Monia Vasquez

Class of 2025
Jerry Colwell
Bob Haslem
Courtney Holm
Cindy Mendoza
Greg Monroe

Class of 2026
Stephen Black
Susane Cheyne
Tye McClure
Ashley McCollum
Manny Ramirez

Ex Officio
Treasurer: Ralph Green
Senior Pastor FUMCFW: Rev. Lance Marshall
Legal Director: Jodie Connaughton

Dementia Friendly Fort Worth

Dementia Friendly Fort Worth Board

Chairs: Rev. Brenda Brooks-Alexander
President: Pam Brandon
Co-Vice President: Wes Alderete
Co-Vice President: Paige Wolk
Secretary: Beth Noah
Ex-Officio:
Ralph Green, Finance
Linda Abel, President Emeritus
Gail Snider, Executive Director

Board Members

Class of 2024
Kimberly Bird-Peters
Beth Noah
Don Gasser
Myra Gasser

Class of 2025
Marsha Ammons
Misti Powell
Paige Wolk

Class of 2026
Wes Alderete
Pam Brandon
Cheryl Mart

First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth Foundation, Inc.

Foundation Board Members

President: Ashley Johnson
Vice President: Richard DeBerry
Secretary: David Moore

Class of 2023
Alicia Rattikin Lindsey
David Moore
Hank Paup
Thomas Sturdivant

Class of 2024
Richard DeBerry
Ashley Johnson
John Maddux
Greg Monroe

Class of 2025
Greg Anderson
Jenny Holman
Michelle Holloway
Mandi Johnson

Advisory Directors
W.A. Landreth
Brian Bell
David Doll
Nathan Vasseur

Directors Emeriti
Lou Ann Blaylock
R. Earl Cox III
John R. Thompson, Jr.
Lee Bloemendal, MD
Kenneth H. Jones, Jr.
Vernon Bryant
Don. S Stegall

Board of Stewards

  • Hear reports from program activities
  • Function as Annual Charge Conference
  • Serve as two-way communication channel with congregation
  • Serve on work groups that address issues such as visitors, new members, and members facing transitions
  • Meet four times per year
  • Serve in 4-year classes and as ex officio members

Board of Stewards Members

Chair: Carma Anderson
Chair-Elect: Barry Hudson

Ex-Officio Members
All Appointed Clergy
All Members of the Church Council
All Members and Reserve Members to Annual Conference
All Program Area Chairs
Secretary of the Board
Dir of Children’s Ministry
Dir of Communications
Dir of Music Ministries
Dir of Youth Ministries
Dir Weekday Ministries
First Street Mission Chair
Justice Ministry Chair
Parish Nurse
Usher Coordinators

Class of 2024
Robert Hester
Charlene Toulouse
Sheri Dewar
Sharilyn Lucas
Dawn Potter
Jim Reeves
Glenn Estes
Claire Wood
Beverly Morgan
Hennon Gilbert, Jr.
Jon Sparks
Aric Short
Kay Baker
Lauren Walter
Carol Henry-Crowell

Class of 2025
Wendy Crowley
Sandy Kennedy
Narnie McCahan
Nancy McCann
Cathy Moates
Rosanne Sherrieb
Julie Mudry
Charme Robarts
Leigh Ann Vaughn
Linda Duncan
Kyle Roderick
Melody Shepherd
Lance Will
Darrell Kennedy
T.W. Brown
Alissa Stafford
Eric Bembenek

Class of 2026
Ashley Norman
Debbie Manning
David Doll
Frank Tilley
Laura Wallace
Ava Nell Harris
Nate Koenig
Heidi Doll
Rick Andrews
Jacque Wolf
Savannah Petronis
Erin Doll
Chris Manno
Mary Jane Bowman

Class of 2027
Julie Compton
Ann Dunkin
Dave & Charlene Ernst
Ryan Epperson
Robert & Lis Kisselburgh
Glenda Maynard
Hugh & Tracy Neilson
JonAnna Reidinger
Anita Sheppard
David & Bette Johnson
Shevin Russell
Ray & Sualice Armstrong
Meaghan Nowell
Jesse & Annette Stamper
Leann Carrell
Emily Brown
Ryan Harruff
Lance & Susan Linguist
Donnie & Marsha Waugh