Consecration Sunday Leaders

Consecration Sunday is a systematic, spiritual approach to annual
campaigns for financing the ministries of a congregation.

The Commission on Stewardship has certified the following people as Consecration Sunday Leaders. These individuals are charged with ensuring the integrity of the Consecration Sunday approach to annual drives for financial commitments (pledges) and with consistently emphasizing the need of the Christian disciple to give, not the need of the church to receive.

 

Name	Hometown	Phone
Donde Ashmos	Austin	512-346-9225
Paul Brantley	Menard	915-396-3087
Jay Brim	Austin	512-327-0368
Pam Elliott	Lakehill	830-751-3272
Ed Engleking
Kirk Francis	San Antonio	210-821-6499
Sherry Freeman	Fredericksburg	830-997-5572
Donald Grace	Austin	512-836-3607
Jerry Heare	Austin	512-346-5180
Lester Howard	San Antonio	210-735-4629
John Hutcherson	Fredericksburg	830-685-3562
Wilbur L. Jackson	San Antonio	210-684-1563
Berry Jones	Mercedes	956-565-8490
Ralph Thompson	San Angelo	325-374-8329
John Topp	Harlingen	956-428-1625
Edyth Upton	Ingleside	361-776-3629
Frank Heffern	Leander	512-260-9585
Rose Hise	Austin	512-452-3082
Pat Fischer	Corpus Christi	361-991-6690
Joe (Les) Ware	Bertram	512-355-2501
Jim Callaway	Laferia	956-797-3675

 

Consecration Sunday Leader Information

Excellent speaker and worship leader; forgiven sinner; many years of experience dealing with money as a financial adviser. I am excited to help people and congregations grow. 

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Name: Berry E. Jones

Address: 1201 S. Ohio, Mercedes, TX 78570

Tel: (956) 565-5082 (H), (956) 968-6898 (W)

Fax: (956) 968-9787

Email: bejonesattorney@hotmail.com

Local church: First United Methodist Church of Mercedes

Average worship attendance: 75

Most comfortable speaking to congregation: both small and large

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:

Certified lay speaker

Sunday school/bible study  

Worship leader 

List church and date of the last three I have led:

Trinity-McAllen 03/07/99;

Trinity-San Antonio 10/25/99;

FUMC Edinburg 02/96

My understanding of stewardship:

A reflection of our relationship to God; our giving to the church is a recognition that what we have- what "we" have made or accumulated comes from God and not ourselves alone.

How tithing has affected my life:

I think of tithing as self-defense against self-centeredness and sin; it gives me great joy and freedom.

Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:

As someone who was stifled by the "Pony Express" style of finance campaigns, I am absolutely committed to the theology of Consecration Sunday: that we give out of our need to respond to God’s love for us, not out of the church’s needs to pay its bills.

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Name: Sherry Freeman

Address: PO Box 1037, Fredericksburg, TX 78624-1037

Tel: (830) 997-0506 (W); (830) 997-5572 (H)

Fax: (830) 997-6455

Email: horneblower@beecreek.net

Local church: Fredericksburg UMC

Average worship attendance: 350-425

Most comfortable speaking to congregation of: more than 200

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:

Certified lay speaker

Sunday school/bible study

List church and date of the last three I have led:

FUMC Marble Falls 11/98;

Universal City UMC 10/1998;

FUMC Brady, Texas 10/96

My understanding of stewardship:

In the biblical world a steward was one who controlled the working of the household, directing the domestic affaires of the establishment, controlling the finances and supervising the servants and workers. I have always felt that a wonderful steward, is the one who sets rules for our households. (Titus 1:7) says, "In fact, every Christian is a steward of God’s mysteries." (1^st Corn. 4:1; Bal. 4:2). I have never thought that our stewardship is limited merely to money or material goods.

Stewardship before God involves everything God has provided for us, in the way of our abilities, talents, time, emotions and even life itself. When the Law tells us that the earth is the Lord’s, and when the Lord places us in it as stewards, then stewardship becomes practical indeed.

How tithing has affected my life:

I have always tithed because I love the Lord and love the great Methodist Church and our entire Methodist denomination. I have been inordinately blessed throughout my life.

As Lay Leader of our congregation here in Fredericksburg, Texas, it is always a blessing for me to see our people with their pledge cards in their hands, walking down the church aisle and crowding our altar, as they give whatever tithe they can for the work of our Master. The thought of every member, in very church, giving a proportionate, sacrificial gift, regardless of his or her economic situation, is always very humbling and touching to me. When we tithe, we are steadily growing in our commitment to our Lord, and we give because of our love for HIM. When each of us as Methodist Christians go forth to meet the world, with all of its tangled challenges, we go forth in confident strength, knowing our God loves us and appreciates and recognizes our dedication and service to HIM. We all need to always have a grateful heart, and be thankful we are able to make a gift to the work of Christ each year as we continue to love and serve.

 

Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:

I have never mentioned that five-letter word, "money," when I have preached. Rather, I speak in regard to our Christian Stewardship and giving, as a privilege of our long walk of being faithful stewards, all of our lives. I have had great results in the churches where I have spoken and am blessed because I know the commitments of one year have been larger than the previous years.

 

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Name: Lester B. Howard

Address: 238 Erskine San Antonio 78201-2639

Tel: (210) 735-4629

Fax:

Email: lndhoward@aol.com

Local church: St. John’s UMC

Average worship attendance: 130

Most comfortable speaking to congregation: both small and large

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:

Certified lay speaker

Sunday school/bible study

Worship leader

Other group leader

List church and date of the last three I have led:

Jefferson UMC 10/98;

FUMC Beeville 10/98;

Schertz UMC

My understanding of stewardship:

How tithing has affected my life:

Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:

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Name: Wilber L. Jackson

Address: 5410 Timber Trail, San Antonio, TX 78228

Tel: (210) 684-1563

Fax:

Email:

Local church: St. John’s UMC, San Antonio, TX

Average worship attendance: 125

Most comfortable speaking to congregation: both small and large

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:

Certified lay speaker

Sunday school/bible study

Worship leader

Other group leader

List church and date of the last three I have led:

Kerrville St. Paul’s, 10/98;

Bethel UMC, 12/98;

Kempner UMC 2/99

My understanding of stewardship:

My duty as a disciple of God in Jesus Christ to mange what has been given me so that I can do my part to advance God’s kingdom here on earth

How tithing has affected my life:

It has given me a feeling that I belong to special endeavor that places me as someone that God can count on to work for him.

Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:

Dedication, experience in how God transforms lives throughout this world; courage to speak out as a disciple of Jesus Christ; commitment to do my best as God gives me strength.

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Name: Jay Brim

Address: 4906 Timberline, Austin, TX 78746

Tel: (512) 327-0368

Fax: (512) 328-4814

Email:

Local church: Westlake UMC, Austin

Average worship attendance:

Most comfortable speaking to congregation: both small and large

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:

Certified lay speaker

Sunday school/bible study

Worship leader

Other group leader

List church and date of the last three I have led:

Rector Memorial UMC 11/98;

Corpus Christi FUMC 10/98;

Dripping Spring 10/98

My understanding of stewardship:

All I have came from God; all I have belongs to God; nothing I have can be withheld from God. God loves a cheerful giver.

How tithing has affected my life:

A re-ordering of priorities is a required prerequisite to being a tither. Careful consideration of the things one has placed high on one’s priorities list can be the most insightful meditation of one’s life.

Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:

I do think I have struggled as much as any layperson with the burden of my own selfishness, and can talk about that struggle sincerely.

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Name:                   Frank Heffern 

Address:               1206 River Oak Drive, Leander Texas 78641 

Telephone:           512-260-9585 

Fax: 

Email:                  fdheffern@yahoo.com 

Local Church:      NW Hills UMC, Austin 

Average worship attendance: 

Most comfortable speaking to congregations of: small or large congregations

Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:                            

                             Certified Lay Speaker 

                             Sunday School/Bible Study 

                             Stephen Minister Trainer/Leader 

                             Worship Leader 

                             Conference Emmaus Lay Director 

List church and date of that I have lead as Consecration Leader: 

                             New Creation UMC – Oct 99’ 

My understanding of stewardship: 

Everything we have or will have is a gift from God. Therefore we should return our gifts back to Him. As Methodists we do this by our prayers, our time, our service and our gifts.  

How tithing has affected my life:  

Tithing has allowed me to trust in the Lord and have faith that no matter what is ahead in my life, He will always be at my side.

Strengths I bring as a Consecration Sunday Leader: 

Through real life experiences I can explain to other lay people what struggles I have had to over come to be a faithful steward of what God has given me.

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Name: Ralph Thompson
Address: 407 McKee Lane, E10, San Angelo TX 76904
Tel: 325-226-4708
Fax:
Email: ralph-t@wcc.net
Local church: Wesley UMC, San Angelo
Average worship attendance: 30-40
Most comfortable speaking to congregation of:  Any Size
Other opportunities that I have had to speak or lead a group as:
Advanced Certified Lay Speaker
Numerous Workshops/Seminars at all levels of the Southwest Texas Conference
Encuentro Design Team Leader
Member of several SWTC event design teams
Sunday School/Bible Study
Worship leader and Pulpit Supply
Workshop and Seminar Leader on various topics at the local church, District, and Conference levels
List church and date of the last three I have led:
St Luke (San Angelo)-2003
Burnet-2005
Burnet-2006
My understanding of stewardship:
Stewardship is the evidence of our faith. True stewardship is holistic in nature and the “full tithe” (Malachi 3:10) is not limited to 10% of our income. Instead, stewardship (the full tithe) involved commitment of our prayers, presence, and talents, as well as our financial and material gifts. When we commit our lives, it is only natural to be generous in our giving.
How tithing has affected my life: Understanding and centering my life around my commitment to my church has made it easy for me to give of my total self, more than simply sending in a check. I continuously witness to others that my giving has increased my faith.
Strengths I bring as Consecration Sunday leader:
Having led several Consecration Sundays, as well as other stewardship campaigns, workshops, and seminars, I have received feedback that my leadership and presentations have yielded significant and measurable results. Because I am one who has learned and lived the life-changing blessings of stewardship, I can relate to both the “trained” and reluctant giver.
As an advanced certified lay speaker, local church/San Angelo District/Associate SWTC lay leader, local church/San Angelo District UMM president, professional software instructor, and leader on various local church/District/SWTC committees and organizations, I am comfortable speaking in the smallest church setting, as well as before the entire assembly of the Southwest Texas Conference.