New District Superintendent Named

NEWS RELEASE:

RELEASE DATE: Monday, February 3, 2020

Contact Information:     Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe – bishopbledsoe@nmconfum.com

The Reverend Les Hall, Senior Pastor of Means Memorial UMC, Andrews, Texas, will fill the Big Spring District Superintendent position, effective July 1, 2020. He has served as lead pastor at Andrews for six years.  During that time, he has also served as chairperson of the Big Spring District Committee of Ordained Ministry, served on the Big Spring District Finance Committee, and the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry.

Les was raised in Fort Stockton, Texas.  He graduated from South Plains College with an Associates Degree, then went on to Texas Tech University, receiving a Bachelors of Science in Geology.  After serving as a youth minister, he went to Asbury Seminary for a Masters of Divinity degree.  Les has been ministering churches in the Northwest Texas Annual Conference for the past 25 years, serving at Turkey, Quitaque, Panhandle, Canadian, Floydada, and Andrews.  Les is married to Sue, and they have three daughters:  Emily and her husband Mason Morrow, Rebekah, and Lauren.  In his spare time, Les enjoys flying airplanes and teaching others to fly.

Rev.  Hall said, “ It is an honor to be asked to serve as District Superintendent of the Big Spring District. I welcome this new opportunity to serve the pastors and churches of the Big Spring District.”  Bishop Bledsoe welcomes Les Hall to the Northwest Texas/New Mexico Cabinet.

The new District Superintendent will follow Rev. Kathryn Boren, who is taking an appointment as a pastor of a local congregation.  Rev. Boren currently serves as the Dean of the Northwest Texas Cabinet and has given exceptional leadership to the work of superintending. The cabinet will recognize and celebrate her gifts at the upcoming conference gathering in June.

Les will be invited to sit in on the upcoming appointive cabinet meetings to provide for a smoother transition of leadership.

Rev. Boren shares that “Les knows our district well and is in sync with the direction of the Conference. We have already begun the transition, and I know the Big Spring District is in good hands.”

The NWTX 2020 Delegation Endorses Rev. Dr. Eduardo (Eddie) Rivera For The Office Of Bishop

The 2020 General and Jurisdictional Delegation of the Northwest Texas Conference is pleased to announce its endorsement of the Rev. Dr. Eduardo (Eddie) Rivera for the office of bishop in the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. He has also received the Affirmation (endorsement) of MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans).

Rev. Dr. Rivera currently serves in the New Mexico Conference - our sister conference - as the District Superintendent of the El Paso District and is Dean of the New Mexico Cabinet. In past years, he served in the Northwest Texas Conference as the Senior Pastor of St. Paul UMC-the Abilene District flagship church. He was a member of our delegation to the 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conferences and served as the Chair of our Board of Ordained Ministry. 

Rivera attended the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas where he learned his English. He earned his Bachelor of Theology Degree from the Seminario Metodista Juan Wesley in Monterrey, México (1985), a Master of Theology Degree (1992) and a Doctor of Ministry Degree (1997) both from Candler School of Theology-Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He was ordained an Elder of the Methodist Church of Mexico in 1988 and transferred his credentials to the New Mexico Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1998. 

Rivera is a delegate of the United Methodist Church to the World Methodist Council, a member of the UMDF (United Methodist Development Fund) Board of Directors, a member of the South Central Jurisdiction Committee on Episcopacy, and a member of the TMF (Texas Methodist Foundation) Board of Directors. In his ministerial journey, he has served in other jurisdictional and conference related ministries and has been an elected delegate to every General and Jurisdictional Conferences since 2008.

We pray that God will bestow wisdom and discernment to all delegates attending the 2020 South Central Jurisdiction Conference in July, as we elect Episcopal Leadership that will lead us into fruitful ministry amid challenging times.

The next Vocational Discernment Retreat is January 17, 2020, at FUMC Lubbock from 10 - 5 pm.

Download the registration form here.

Have questions? Contact Pastor Rick Enns - revrick@firstchurchcanyon.com

Immigration Summit 2019

On November 21 – 22, The Immigration Summit was hosted by Lydia Patterson Institute (LPI). Five bishops and around 40 other representatives from the UMC Immigration Task Force, General Board, and other United Methodist organizations gathered to focus on improving the well-being of immigrants on our southern border.

After a brief welcome and orientation, we joined the LPI students and staff for their morning Chapel service, then toured LPI. During the welcome, the El Paso mayor, Dee Margo, shared how the border has been an ongoing issue for 30 years. He celebrated that Lydia Patterson was a bridge between Mexico and the states. Dr. Socorrow de Ande, the LPI president, shared that 75% of the LPI students have to cross the border every day for class. 50% of those students are American citizens. 25% are on visas. The student who are U.S. citizens are not admitted into the Mexico school because they are not citizens. However, they are not accepted into the El Paso schools because they are not residents. Lydia Patterson fills that gap for these students. They can have over 500 students but are currently only 250 – 275 enrolled.

After chapel, we toured LPI and had lunch with the students. We then traveled to Juarez to visit the Immigration Center. El Calvario UMC volunteers were serving lunch in the center. We learned that while immigrants are waiting for their turn, they do not travel back to their homes, so they do not risk losing their place in line. There are tent cities under the three bridges filled with families waiting to hear if their number is next. El Calvario volunteers feed these families and teach and play with their children weekly.

We then traveled to the El Buen Samaritano shelter in Juarez. Here we heard from the pastors that run the church and shelter and from Bishop Felip Ruiz Aguilar and Juarez DS, Rev. Ruben Pero Rivera. They shared about how the shelter was closed just a few years prior, and in reopening it, they have received several families from all over. They shared their plans for construction on the shelter so they could house more people.

The evening concluded with dinner serenaded by the PLI Mariachis and Linda Rivas; Las Americas Advocacy Center Executive Director shared during the presentation. Friday included presentations from Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, a panel discussion featuring Ruben Garcia of Annunciation House, Robert Moore, El Paso journalist, and Hannah Hollandbyrd of The Hope Border Institute. Morningstar UMC hosted lunch in Las Cruces, where the group heard from Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small. Then we toured El Calvario UMC and the Borderland Hospitality House. The day concluded with dinner and prayer service held at Trinity First UMC in El Paso. Bishop Bledsoe preached, “Come and See.” We are thankful to the organizers of this year’s summit: DS Eddie Rivera, Rev. Nicole Crouch, Jenna Johnson, and Lydia Patterson Institute.

Bishop Bledsoe's 2019 Itineration Gatherings

This fall, NWTX clergy and lay members attended Bishop Bledsoe’s Itineration Gatherings. The focus of these gatherings provided space to reflect on the special General Conference 2019 meeting and to hear about what is coming at the 2020 session.

Groups gathered in Amarillo, Munday, Abilene, and Lubbock to hear what others felt about the process and outcome of General Conference 2019. We recognize that while we may not all be on the same page, we are still one together on mission to make disciples for Jesus Christ.

These groups shared mixed feelings from disappointment to confusion to hope as they reflected on the past General Conference gathering.

While looking at the upcoming 2020 General Conference, groups shared what they were hoping for in the coming year and beyond. They shared their dreams for the local church and the denomination as a whole.

Groups gathered around tables to reflect on General Conference 2019.

Some were hopeful and expectant of a revival to come while others believed a split was inevitable. We talked of a need for a united spirit of working together while acknowledging we do not all think alike. Some shared that we need to agree to disagree and follow the discipline. Others stated that we needed to focus on making disciples. Above all, groups recognized that we need to center on Christ and the Great Commission. And to act in ways that we do not turn people away from the church. We do not want to be known as the church that is fighting. Some groups voiced that we needed time to heal and to pray.

Table leaders shared the reflections and dreams of their tables for the whole body.

Despite the back and forth on what needed to happen at General Conference 2020, there was a strong consensus that we need to be open to the Holy Spirit. Pray for revival in the local churches and beyond. Get outside of our church walls and serve our communities. Continue to disciple those in our churches and communities.

What are your hopes and dreams for The United Methodist Church? For your church body. The community in which you choose to live daily life. Are you praying for renewal to come?

2020 Winter Nova Rally

Hello NWTX Youth Leaders!

We are so excited to announce our first ever Winter Nova Rally happening at First United Methodist Church in Canyon on Saturday, February 22, 2020 from 1:00-8:00! This event will be a great time of reunion and celebration for those that have been to Camp Nova, and it will serve as an introduction to all that we do at Camp Nova during the summer for those that have not been before. The Rally will include worship with our worship leader, Auggie Aguilera, and great teaching from our camp speaker, Kendall Meek. Both Auggie and Kendall will be at Camp Nova July 20-24, 2020. We will also have games, fellowship, breakout sessions, and a dinner – all included in the $35 registration fee. 

We would love for your group to join us on February 22! Please use the poster to help with promotion. Students may scan the QR code on the poster or go to bit.ly/novarally to register online. You can also check out our social media pages for more information on Instagram and Facebook. Find us @cetacampnova. 

There will be an opportunity to register for Camp Nova 2020 with the early bird rate at the Winter Nova Rally. If your group would like to stay overnight at FUMC for an additional fee, contact Charlie Keys. If you have any questions about the Rally or need further information, please contact one of our directors at the information below! 

Charlie Keys – Camp Nova Director – ckeys@firstchurchcanyon.com
Kelsey Acevedo – Camp Nova Co-Director – kelseyracevedo@gmail.com
Kayla Irlbeck – Camp Nova Co-Director – fumcyouth@firstchurchcanyon.com

We are looking forward to a great event and would love to see you and your group there! 

Be Made New,

Charlie Keys, Camp Nova Director

Download the Promotional Poster

Coffee With A Pastor - Wendell Smith

Our final Coffee With A Pastor episode features Wendell Smith, pastor of Visionary Hollowell in Midland, TX. He shares a little about how he is a bi-vocational pastor and apart of a church that is trying to engage their community.

To watch previous episodes of Coffee With A Pastor, click the links below:

Part 1 - Interview With Wendell Horn

Part 2 - Interview With Donald Ward

Part 3 - Interview With Dot Lea

Coffee With A Pastor - Dot Lea

Dot Lea is the third featured pastor in our Fall 2019 Coffee with a Pastor series. She pastors St. James in Abilene, TX. This series is a project of our NWTX Strategic Plan Innovation Team and Small Church Task Force. She shares how her church created space to discern where the Lord was calling them to serve in their community. The outcome is exciting!

To watch previous episodes of Coffee With A Pastor, click the links below:

Part 1 - Interview With Wendell Horn

Part 2 - Interview With Donald Ward