Central South District
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
The Heart of Houston
   District ChurchesBellaire W
Beneke Bering Memorial Bethany Blueridge Boynton Chapel Calvary Central South Parish St. James Union Memorial Chapelwood W2 Christ Clinton Park Covenant of Faith Crestmont Park Disciples Dong San Durkee Ebenezer Fair Haven Fairbanks First - Houston First Korean First Love Community W Galena Park
Genesis Mission Genoa W2 Glenbrook Grace (Heights Blvd) Grace (Lockwood) Wesley Grace Mission Hillcrest Holy Trinity Jacinto City Mount Vernon Newgate Fellowship Norris Chapel Oakwood
Pleasantville W Reid Casa De Alabanza Riverside W2 Servants of Christ Misión Milby Shaw Tabernacle W These churches have been certified as Welcoming Congregations, along with the number of years they've earned the designation. |
About UsThe diversity in the city of Houston is a reflection of the Kingdom of God itself. There are six different languages spoken within Central South District churches, which is the Heart of Houston. There are people from every continent within our churches – a multiplicity of cultures, worship styles, and understandings that are part of our great United Methodist Church.
The diversity that comes from the many gifts of the Spirit include a growing Hispanic ministry and a new Chinese mission. Our churches offer ESL classes, computer classes, health ministry, and much more to reach out to the city with the love of Jesus Christ. This district includes some of the largest churches, leaders within the denomination, and some of the smallest that are facing new opportunities with a new sense of excitement to serve the larger community of Houston. District Superintendent: Rev. Lawrence Young
Pastor Lawrence Young was the founding Pastor of Abundant Life United Methodist Church in Lufkin, Texas, where he served for 12 years. While serving in Lufkin, Pastor Young focused on serving the youth and children of the low-income community. He established a community wide Summer Camp which provided daily supervision and activities for children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old. Pastor Young also served as mentor and counselor for the Middle and Senior High schools of Lufkin.
In June of 2003, Pastor Young was appointed Senior Pastor of Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, where he served for 5 years. While at Jones, Pastor Young and his congregation successfully completed the first phase of their new building the Jones Memorial “Higher Way Church” multi-purpose center. He is President of Black Methodist for Church Renewal (BMCR) for the Houston Chapter, and is a mentor for new candidates for ministry in the Texas Conference. He also established Jones Memorial’s 501C (3).The Sunnyside Community Development Corporation. He was featured in the Book of Alzheimer’s for African-American Churches as one of the first African American Pastors to help address issues and create awareness on Alzheimer’s in the African American church. An Alzheimer’s support group was established at Jones Memorial under his leadership.
In September 2008, Bishop Janice Riggle Huie appointed Pastor Young to serve the Central South District of the Texas Conference as District Superintendent. Pastor Young is a humble servant of God’s people. His vision for the Central South District is to serve and impact the entire community through effective ministry. He teaches and models to all he comes in contact with a giving, loving and Christian life style that will draw others to Christ.
District Administrator: Donna Alexander Donna Alexander, a lifelong United Methodist, serves as Administrator for the Central South District. Prior to joining the District, Donna worked as the Administrative Assistant for the former Houston North District and Business Administrator for the First United Methodist Church, Humble.Ms. Alexander serves as Associate Secretary for the Texas Annual Conference, is a member of the National Finance Committee for the Professional Association on U.M. Church Secretaries, the Texas Annual Conference Commission on Equitable Compensation and the Atascocita U.M.C. Finance Committee. She is Treasurer for the Texas Conference Association of Church Secretaries as well as the Houston Districts' Covenant College and Lay Speaker’s Academy. Donna was approved in 2002 by the General Council on Finance and Administration as a Certified United Methodist Church Secretary. She completed the Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders in October, 2004 led by Lombard Mennonite Peace Center in Lombard, IL. Donna has four children; Tianna, a prominent jazz vocalist in Houston, Brandon, a guitarist and restaurant manager in Austin, Christina, an actress who is now living in Chicago, and Nugget, her precious puppy! Administrative Assistant: Shelia Hardman Shelia Hardman is the Administrative Assistant in the Central South District. Before coming to the district, she was employed as a Senior Service Consultant for HL&P for over twenty years; a Senior Service Representative for Chrysler Financial for four years; an Assistant Librarian at Drew Academy; and an Administrative Assistant in the Human Resources department for FMA Alliance for a year. Shelia loves being involved with her church. She has been a member of SPRC, chairperson of the Worship Committee and Stewardship Committees; she has been Worship Leader and a Lay Speaker. Shelia has one daughter, Latoya, who is a high school English teacher. The person that puts the biggest smile on her face is her grandson Konnor. District Lay Leader: Alfred Calloway |
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Pastor Lawrence L. Young is a native of Bogalusa, Louisiana. His proud parents are Climel and Dorothy Young. Pastor Young is a graduate of Dillard University where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science. He then attended Gammon Theological Seminary, at the Interdemoninational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned a Masters of Divinity degree. He has also completed extensive study and practice of Pastoral Care and Counseling through the Doctoral Program at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, in Evanston, Ill. He was ordained as a deacon of the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1990 and as an elder in 1992.