
The 2025 Horizon Texas Annual Conference Session is quickly approaching!
Join us from Sunday, June 8, through Tuesday, June 10, in Dallas as we unite under the theme: "ONE … One with Christ, One with each other, One in ministry to all the world."
This three-day gathering will be a time of worship, learning and connection as we live into our shared mission. Through inspiring messages, meaningful conversations, fresh ideas and the important work of the church, we hope you leave renewed, encouraged and equipped to serve in your community.
We can’t wait to be together as ONE.
Sunday, June 8
Clergy Session begins 3:30 p.m. at First UMC Plano
Laity Session begins 3:30 p.m. at First UMC Richardson
Opening Worship begins 7 p.m. at First UMC Richardson
Post-Worship Reception at First UMC Richardson
Monday, June 9
Registration opens 8 a.m. at McFarlin Auditorium (SMU)
Opening Session begins 8:30 a.m. at McFarlin Auditorium (SMU)
Service of Ordination and Commissioning begins 7 p.m. at First UMC Richardson
Post-Worship Reception at First UMC Richardson
Tuesday, June 10
Registration opens 8 a.m. at McFarlin Auditorium (SMU)
Memorial Service begins 8:30 a.m. at McFarlin Auditorium (SMU)
Guest Preacher
Bishop Delores Williamston
Bishop Delores Williamston of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church will serve as the guest preacher for Annual Conference Opening Worship. She was elected bishop on November 2, 2022, by the South Central Jurisdiction on the first ballot and is the first Black woman elected in the South Central Jurisdiction as bishop.
Bishop Williamston was ordained as an elder in 2010 and previously served in the Great Plains Conference as the superintendent for the Hays, Hutchinson and Salina Districts. She also served as Director of Clergy Excellence and Assistant to the Bishop.
Prior to beginning her service with the Great Plains Conference, Williamston served churches in Independence, Salina, Mentor and Topeka in Kansas. She earned her master’s of divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri, with a specialty in Black Church ministries and evangelism. She is pursuing a doctorate of ministry from Philips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
With an inspiring personal witness and a love for storytelling, the Horizon Texas Conference is privileged to have the opportunity to hear Bishop Williamston preach in our opening worship service.
Keynote Speaker
Tod Bolsinger
Author and Theologian Dr. Tod Bolsinger will also serve as the keynote speaker for Annual Conference. Dr. Bolsinger joined Fuller Seminary in 2014 as vice president for vocation and formation and assistant professor of practical theology and now serves as senior congregational strategist and associate professor of leadership formation. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1993, Dr. Bolsinger served as senior pastor of San Clemente Presbyterian Church from 1997 to 2014. Prior to that, he was associate pastor of discipleship and spiritual formation at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.
Holding both a PhD in Theology and Master of Divinity from Fuller, Bolsinger taught graduate-level classes in theology for 14 years at Fuller’s regional campus in Orange County prior to joining the seminary’s regular faculty. He has extensive experience in church and nonprofit consulting and executive coaching, and writes infrequent weblogs on church and leadership formation. His faculty role at Fuller includes teaching the Practices of Vocational Formation class and a cohort in Leading Change for DMin students.
Bolsinger has authored three books, "It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian: How the Community of God Transforms Lives" (2004), "Show Time: Living Down Hypocrisy by Living Out the Faith" (2005) and "Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory" (2015). Bolsinger has also written a chapter about building community in a virtual world in the book "The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ" (2008) and contributes essays and articles to journals in the areas of leadership, spiritual formation, leadership formation, and innovation.
Hotel Accommodations
The Beeman Hotel
6070 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75206
From $159/night
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities
5954 Luther Lane, Dallas, TX 75225
From $174/night
DoubleTree by Hilton - Campbell Centre
8250 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75206
From $159/night
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Deacons
Elizabeth “Liz” Bridges
Caleb Brimmage
Kristen Von Gonten
Katrina Culberson Smith
Elders
Philip “Phil” Antinone
Anne-Marie Berg
Madison Boboltz
Travis Burdett
Rhonda Chambers
Tim Clifford
Beate Hall
Allie Johnson
Katie Lamoureaux
Sean McDonald
Courtney Mitchell
Daniel Reeves
Kyren Schultz
Kaitlynn Shannon
Tanner Smith
Joe Stobaugh
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Associate Members
Scott Luginbill
Deacons
Jason Chavarria
Brooke Gibson
Laulie Eckeberger
Julie Harding
Adam Lubbers
Staci Orr
Anna Shipley
Michelle Wood
Elders
Julia Castleman
Jordan Cramer
Jeff Fisher
Evve Kuykendall
Sarah Porter
Important Dates
April 8: Legislation is due and should be emailed to Assistant to the Bishop Andy Lewis and Conference Secretary Kevin Walters.
May 23: Contents for on-screen presentations are due and should be emailed to Communications Director Pamela Hughes.
June 28: Conference Lay Leaders will host a Post-Conference Webinar for all laity.