Judith received her Master of Divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1998. She has been in church ministry for twenty-nine years, the first seventeen as a youth minister working with youth as a missional extension of the church. She has continued her missional work in Africa, teaching about AIDS and working with Ganta United Methodist Schools in Liberia.

Judith enjoys leading stimulating and thought-provoking Bible studies She has been Senior Pastor at First Church for five years where she enjoys serving alongside those great folk. She is active in the life of the community and in the association of ministers there.

Judith is also active at the district and conference level of the United Methodist Church, where she serves on the District Board of Ordained Ministry, the Committee on Higher Education, and the Large Church Revitalization Board.

Judith and her husband Rick have three sons, Matt (Amy), Blake, and Ross, and three grandsons, Nathan, Ryan and Luke. Judith enjoys spending time with her family, her church family, hiking mountains and trails, playing tennis, biking, working out, and reading.

Rebecca graduated from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 2006. She received the Jane Marshall Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Leadership in Christian Worship for Demonstrated Excellence in the Study and Practice of Christian Liturgy and Worship. She was on the editorial staff for the Student Journal for four years and instituted the use of theological students’ visual artwork in the Journal. Rebecca became a member of the Order of St. Luke, a monastic organization, while in school. It is an organization interested in promoting dynamic liturgical works and study. As a member of CIVA, Christians in the Visual Arts, she works and promotes visual arts within the community of the church and worship.

Rebecca has 15 years of experience as a member of a church staff, the majority of those years spent in youth ministry. Rebecca was commissioned as an elder at the 2007 Annual Conference and continues her ministry with the wonderful members of this church as their Associate Pastor.

Rebecca and her husband Gary have two sons, Kevin and Grant and four boisterous dogs. They both love snowboarding and wish there were snowy mountains in Texas!

Responding to God’s call to ministry is the culmination of a life dedicated to family and church. Jack spent 30 years working in the business world as a food service executive and small business owner. Jack lists his greatest accomplishments as having raised his daughter, Elizabeth and his son, J.R. to be dedicated parents of their own that provided he and his wife Linda with three wonderful grandsons.

Jack’s mission to FUMC, The Colony is congregational care. The opportunity to respond to God’s call at this point in Jack’s life is the greatest joy to someone who looks forward to responding to the needs of the church. “Having spent 30 years in the secular business world it is incredible to wake up to the joy of going about God’s business”. The call to ministry was a process that has lead him to FUMC, The Colony, and as his first pastoral appointment it is a particularly rewarding experience to give back to a church that supported him on this journey.

Jack and his wife Linda look forward to meeting new members, and with the goal of “every member involved” (E M I) helping point new and old members to the joys and opportunities of service our church has to offer. Jack feels that his goal for his ministry here is to serve where members need care and to help others see how to serve using their God–given talents for the benefit of the body of Christ.

A graduate of Ball State University and the University of Miami, Sonja has been the Minister of Music at FUMC, The Colony since 1998. Before that she served in Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches in South Florida and Texas. With a background as a music clinician, community chorus director, private music instructor and music director at elementary through college levels, she brings the experience of working with all age groups to her church work.

Sonja has also been employed in the editing and production areas of the music publishing industry. As an active ASCAP composer (using her maiden name of Sonja Poorman), she has over 100 sacred and educational choral works published by Alfred Publishing Company, BriLee Music Publishing Company, Carl Fischer, Shawnee Press, Warner Bros. Publications and Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation.

Sonja and her husband Randy have one son Brandon. They enjoy traveling, biking, hiking, attending concerts and cheering Brandon on at his many sports activities.

Martha has been at First Church for 4 years. She and her husband, Michael, are actively involved in the activities of their two sons, Clark and Austin.

Cathy always has a happy voice and smile for those who enter the offices at First Church. Cathy and her husband Mike have a large extended family. They live in The Colony with their two sons, Matt and Scott.

Barbara is an avid quilter and crafter and is active in many facets of the church with her husband Gene.

A graduate of Keimyung University, Sung-Yun Kim has won many piano competitions in South Korea and Europe including a competition held by the President of South Korea. He was also a piano soloist for the National Police Orchestra in South Korea. He has performed with the Keimyung University Orchestra, the New Philharmonia Orchestra, the Bulgaria Varna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Yeawon Opera, the Daegu Male Choir, the Keimyung University Choir and the University of North Texas A Cappella Choir and Recital Choir.

Before coming to FUMC, The Colony, Sung-Yun had served as accompanist in many churches in South Korea, following in the ministry pathway of his grandfather who was a Presbyterian minister in South Korea. Currently he is a graduate student at the University of North Texas where he has been awarded scholarships by the College of Music. He is also an Adjunct Faculty member of Southeastern Oklahoma State University Department of Fine Arts.