Telling Our Story
When flash floods swept through Central Texas this summer, leaders at First UMC Richardson recognized a new opportunity — to form an Early Response Team (ERT) that could respond immediately in the aftermath of disasters in Texas.
Thirty-two individuals representing 10 United Methodist churches and community organizations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area gathered Saturday, Oct. 11 for a training session on immigration court observation. The training, led by Vecinos Unidos (Neighbors United), introduced participants to the role of public court observers— volunteers who attend immigration hearings to offer care, document proceedings and monitor for potential abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers or court staff.
When harm happens within the church, it often shakes the very foundation of trust and faith that communities hold dear. In those fragile moments, Resource Persons from the Horizon Texas Conference Crisis Response and Care Ministry quietly step in to walk alongside individuals who come forward with painful stories. Their work does not happen in the public eye—but it is deeply sacred.
Members of Custer Road en Español gathered on the afternoon of Oct. 5 for a spirited worship service celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and honoring the many cultures and countries represented in their growing congregation.
Since the early 2000s, trained Response and Care Teams have been deployed across the United Methodist connection to assist congregations facing crises such as misconduct allegations and congregational trauma. The ministry has steadily grown, equipping both clergy and laity to walk alongside individuals and churches during seasons of difficulty.
Sounds of laughter and worship filled the halls of First United Methodist Church Paris’ Youth & Ministry Building as more than four dozen students from across the East District gathered for a regional Bishop’s Rally, held October 5 from 2–5 p.m.
Children’s Creative Playday Preschool, a ministry of First United Methodist Church of Allen, is celebrating 50 years of nurturing children through play-based education.
Gordon United Methodist Church commissioned a new Congregational Care Team on Aug. 17, 2025, during worship at the close of its summer series, The Lost Art of Listening.
Over Labor Day weekend, more than 40 youth and adults from eight churches across the Mid-South and South Districts came together at Belton First United Methodist Church for a lock-in filled with worship, fellowship, and service.
On July 18–19, Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound, Texas, became a hub of radical love and hospitality as more than 1,100 volunteers from across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex came together to pack meals for communities in the Philippines. In partnership with Rise Against Hunger, the church hosted a 24-hour meal-packing event that filled an entire shipping container, producing 285,000 meals.
FREADom Nation, a six-week literacy and enrichment pilot program hosted by Life Center UMC in DeSoto, and backed by First UMC Dallas and supported by One + One Dallas, served more than 40 rising kindergarten through fifth-grade scholars this summer. Each day mixed reading with movement, art, science, music and cultural celebration.
