Mansfield is a family friendly city primarily in Tarrant County Texas that is nearly equidistant from Dallas and Forth Worth. I first experienced life in Mansfield when I purchased a home there in the 1990s. Since that time the population has nearly tripled, growing from around 25,000 to 70,000.
As Mansfield has grown so has the need to care for all who call the city home. Individuals, businesses, government, faith communities and nonprofits have worked independently and collaboratively to address growing needs.
The Mansfield Mission Center has scaled rapidly to help enable the flourishing of all people residing within the Mansfield Independent School District. Started as an outreach ministry of First Methodist Mansfield in 1979, the entity became the Wesley Mission Center – an independent 501(c)3 – in 2013, and transformed yet again to become the Mansfield Mission Center in 2018. In recent years the Mission Center transitioned from a benevolence model of support to a holistic approach of empowering people on their journey to self-sufficiency and wholeness using the working family success model.
Social Enterprise
In July 2017 I wrote a post titled “I’m Back: My Return to Ministry,” to share the news that I would be joining the Mission Center as their first Director of Social Enterprise.
In a year in that role I helped the organization construct and move into a new thrift store and maximize the usage of the rental units in their retail plaza. I was blessed to grow through this experience while also learning as part of a yearlong social enterprise fellowship.
Healthcare & Ministry
Looking back I see a few patterns in my professional pursuits. When I graduated from seminary I accepted a call to serve a congregation. Only after serving eight congregations affiliated with four Mainline Protestant denominations did I step into the world of healthcare. Since doing so, I’ve alternated between positions in healthcare and in ministry:
- Ministry: Interim Pastor, Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ
- Healthcare: National Director of Learning, Evolution Health (an Envision Healthcare company)
- Ministry: Director of Social Enterprise, Mansfield Mission Center (formerly Wesley Mission Center)
- Healthcare: Director of Educational Products, American College of Emergency Physicians
I’ve decided to break this pattern by combining ministry and healthcare in a single role by returning to the Mansfield Mission Center as Director of Clinic Operations.
Earlier today the Mansfield Mission Center announced it is growing again.
The former Linda Nix Family Caring Place Clinic is now part of Mansfield Mission Center. Effective immediately, the clinic is now known as the Linda Nix Clinic.
The clinic has provided medical, dental, vision and women’s wellness services since opening in 2009. The initial transition plan focuses on the continued growth of these services alongside an intentional exploration of new opportunities to serve the medical needs of uninsured persons living in Mansfield ISD.
So What?
The Mansfield Mission Center is now one non-profit in three locations.
We love sharing the story of the Mansfield Mission Center, and inviting newcomers to journey alongside us as a donors, volunteers, and/or shoppers!
If you’ve never visited us before, then consider this your invitation to do so sometime soon. Finally, for those reading this who have never been to Mansfield, Texas, please know we value your support from a distance and welcome you to make the MMC one of your first stops should life ever bring you to Mansfield.