Who am I?

I am an Ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. I have served Custer Road UMC since I graduated from seminary 35 years ago as the Minister of Music and Worship.

This includes a wonderful program of youth in which 200+ young folks join me  on a combination of three tours: high school, middle school, and college age. Our adult choir travels as well, sharing the Gospel beyond our church walls, including a recent performance in the Vatican. Handbells and instrumentalists bring vitality to our community and worship.

I have enjoyed great experiences while creating two alternative worship services, preaching at each for a period of two years. Lighthouse was a Saturday evening contemporary worship setting and Jerusicho was a Sunday morning mission setting.

After supporting 8 building campaigns as Custer Road grew, I asked the leadership if I could create and organize a $3+ million Sanctuary renovation campaign, which included technological updates and the installation of a Schantz Pipe Organ. As that debt retired, I created, organized, and completed a small quarter of a million dollar youth facility renovation while I served as interim youth director.

As is the nature of being clergy, I have been honored to conduct 250+ weddings and funerals in the life of this church.

I am privileged to serve as adjunct faculty at Perkins School of Theology as an instructor in the Sacred Music Program for 20+ years. It is always a joy to teach as clinician at various events and a humbling experience to preach at conferences.

Two responsibilities have caused me to do a great deal of thinking on the nature of call. I serve as the Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry Chair for North Texas (for the purpose of clergy calling) as well as served as a delegate to the Jurisdictional Conference, 2012 and 2016 (for the purpose of episcopal calling) and these have caused me to do a great deal of prayerful thinking. Participation in these responsibilities has given me the opportunity to discuss the nature of sexuality as it relates to Christianity with extremely prayerful, thoughtful and brilliant thinkers.

My wife, Lynda, has been my partner in life and my ministry. She is a wonderful musician with an angelic voice. She organizes our children’s music program, (GOSPEL GANG) and teaches piano in our home. Our daughter, Jenna, is an ordained United Methodist elder and currently serves Faith UMC in Corinth, Texas. Her husband, Dr. Brock Johnson, is professor of voice at Texas A&M Commerce. Our son, Mason, works for Benjamin Moore and serves as a worship leader for Spring Valley UMC, Richardson, Texas. Our grandson, Caden, lives in our home and is a daily reminder of enthusiasm and joy.

Just for the fun of it, I would like to share a book I wrote for Caden, CADEN AT THE ZOO. He is so cool. I also wrote a ditty for him as a way to learn how to spell his name, HELP ME SPELL CADEN. It is written as a motif, (made famous by Bach,) in which the letters of his name identity the pitches of the melody. He sings it beautifully while yet not even knowing what a letter actually represents! Here, you will hear it performed by his Great Grandmother Jeanie Myers.

These details describe the wonderful forces that have shaped my perspective(s) and molded my thoughts on life, love and faith. Thank you, to the generous SPRC folks of Custer Road, who afforded me the sabbatical to get this project started.

*               *           *           *          

I realize that many folks believe there is a scripture in the Bible written just for them, as if God inspired a text to be written millennia ago for the person reading it today. With a profound sense of arrogance, I am assured that God wrote to me and the proof is the acknowledgment that my name is the first word.

“Timothy, protect what has been given to you in trust.

Avoid godless and pointless discussion and the contradictory claims of so-called ‘knowledge.’ When some people adopted this false knowledge, they missed the goal of faith.

May grace be with you all.” I Timothy 6:20-21

God has entrusted me, (and you as well) with countless blessings of relationships, opportunities and epiphanies. It is quite humbling. I add my voice to the faithful who proclaim the goodness of God and earnestly pray I am not contributing to the godless and pointless discussion of so-called knowledge! Perhaps, maybe, hopefully, my voice brings a fresh perspective to things you are considering in your journey.

Timothy