6 clergy members to retire June 3 in Corpus Christi

At least six Southwest Texas Conference clergy members are to retire next week in Corpus Christi after nearly 125 years of combined service to The United Methodist Church.
A service recognizing retirees is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. June 3 at the American Bank Center. The ceremony is part of the June 1-4 Southwest Texas Annual Conference session.
During the ceremony each retiree is to have the opportunity to address clergy and laity representatives of the region’s 350 congregations about his or her tenure in ministry. The remarks are to be recorded for the conference archives.
The list of retirees includes five elders in full connection and one probationary elder. Retirees are:
> The Rev. Scott Lance Carnal, 65, who has been honorably located without a pastoral appointment since 1974. Since 1988, the Corpus Christi native has been a volunteer staff member at Bering Memorial UMC, Houston. Carnal began his ministry in 1967. He served congregations in Austin, Driftwood, Kyle and San Marcos through 1974.
Carnal was ordained a deacon in 1964 and an elder in 1969. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1963 from the University of Corpus Christi and a bachelor of divinity degree in 1964 from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.
> The Rev. Sharon M. Freeto, 56, pastor of Blanco UMC since 2000. Freeto began her ministry in 1972 in the New Hampshire Conference. From 1976 to 1998 she served as a U.S. Air Force chaplain.
Freeto transferred to the Southwest Texas Conference in 1998. She was pastor of Ingleside UMC from 1999 to 2000.
She was ordained a deacon in 1971 and an elder in 1975.
> The Rev. John A. Green, 67, pastor of Hunt UMC since 1998. The Beeville native began his ministry in 1984 as a licensed local pastor. He was ordained a deacon in 1990 and an elder in 1995.
Besides Hunt, Green has served congregations in Agua Dulce, Banquete, Midkiff, Rankin and Robstown.
Green earned a bachelor of business administration degree in 1970 from the College of the Southwest. He received a Southern Baptist minister’s license in 1980.
> The Rev. Thomas O. McClung Jr., 66, pastor of St. John’s UMC, San Antonio, since 2000. The Greenville native began his ministry in 1963 in the Northwest Texas Conference. He transferred to Southwest Texas in 1965. He has served congregations in Corpus Christi, George West, Port Lavaca, Rockport, San Antonio and Windcrest.
From 1989 to 1995 McClung was superintendent of the Corpus Christi District. From 1998 to 2000 he was adviser for church connections at Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas.
McClung was ordained a deacon in 1963 and an elder in 1967. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1962 from Southwestern University, Georgetown, and a bachelor of divinity degree in 1965 from Southern Methodist University.
> Pastor Mary E. Powell, 63, pastor of First UMC, Cotulla, since 2002. She began her ministry in 1999 as a licensed local pastor. She was commissioned as a probationary elder in 2001.
Powell served as associate pastor of First UMC, Marble Falls, from 1999 to 2002. A former public school teacher, she earned degrees at the University of Texas at Austin; Texas A&M University, Kingsville; and Asbury Theological Seminary, Wil-more, Ky.
> The Rev. Georgia D. Stone, 66, pastor of St. Mark’s UMC, Austin, since 2000. The Wichita Falls native began her ministry in 1989 as a licensed local pastor. She was ordained a deacon in 1994 and an elder in 2002.
Besides St. Mark’s, Stone has served congregations in Jourdanton, Poteet, San Angelo and San Antonio. She earned a bachelor of science degree in 1984 from Metropolitan State College, Denver.