A Big Announcement & Breaking Ground

Dear First Family, 

I am looking forward to this weekend as we continue our Breaking Ground series. We’re only a few weeks away from breaking ground together on a new life and a new church for the new world in which we are now living. I hope you will be a part of worship in person or online this Sunday. 

Today it is also my great joy to share a big announcement with you which is that effective May 1st, 2022, Rev. Thomas Mitchell has been appointed to join our pastoral staff. 

As you may remember, Rev. Shea Reyenga was appointed by our Bishop late last spring to become the Senior Pastor at Bethesda United Methodist Church. In consultation with our District Superintendent and our Bishop, we made the decision to not fill that opening immediately to provide additional time to discern who might be the best fit to join our team. 

I am grateful to say that God has honored our patience! 

Let me tell you a little bit more about Pastor Thomas and his family.
 

Thomas grew up here in Mansfield. His family joined First Methodist Mansfield in 2001. When I was appointed to serve here as the Student Ministries Pastor in 2005, Thomas was one of our 8th grader students. 

After graduating from Mansfield High School, Thomas attended the University of Texas at Arlington, receiving a B.A. in History in 2012. As a student, Thomas was deeply invested at the UTA Wesley Foundation, and it was there that he first heard God’s call on his life to enter into pastoral ministry. 

Thomas continued his studies at Perkins School of Theology completing his Masters of Divinity degree in 2020. In 2018 he received his first pastoral appointment to serve as the Campus Minister at the UTA Wesley Foundation.

At UTA, Thomas also met his wife Eden. They were married in 2017. Eden worked as a nurse at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth before their children, Elias (3) and June (1), were born. She now stays at home with the kids and owns a small family photography business.

We look forward to welcoming the Mitchell family officially on May 1st, but until then,  if you see Thomas or Eden in worship be sure and say an official word of “welcome” or “welcome home” to them! 

Grace & Peace, 
Pastor David