While I have been in ministry for more than 25 years, I have only been an ordained United Church of Christ minister since 2023.
Two years ago today I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ and installed as the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope (for more on that experience see My Ordination and Installation). On the occasion of the first anniversary of my ordination, I wrote this reflection.
Today, I offer an update on what has happened in the last twelve months.
White Rock Center of Hope
In 2021 I accepted the opportunity to serve White Rock Center of Hope – a faith-based non-profit that cultivates hope through basic needs and personalized empowerment. With the help of an amazing and growing group of staff, volunteers, and community partners Hope’s impact on the East Dallas community has grown dramatically year after year.
Since Hope’s fiscal year ends on October 31, it is easy to share up to date statistics that showcase year over year growth. The simplest metric of all is the number of people who received help from Hope. Additional metrics include feeding, clothing, and empowering measured in pounds of food distributed, articles of clothing distributed, and number of empowerment participants respectively. Incredibly, each of these reached not only the highest numbers during my tenure, but also were all-time highs across the organizations 37-year history.
Neighbors Serving Neighbors. All that Hope does to help those in need has always been offered free of charge with the services delivered primarily by community volunteers. Serving more than 13,000 unique neighbors was only possible thanks to more than 1,500 volunteers. And, the majority of Hope’s volunteers first learn about volunteering through their local church.
Feeding. The Hope Food Pantry is the number one way folks in need in East Dallas learn about White Rock Center of Hope. In fiscal year 2023 FY23), Hope reimagined this ministry and reconfigured the Pantry and Warehouse spaces with new fixtures. In FY24, Hope transitioned to a neighbor choice model on weekdays – enabling folks to shop for the items that are most desired by their families. That same year, a drive-through distribution was added on the first and third Saturdays, ensuring wider access to food among the food insecure in the neighborhood. In FY25, a refrigerated box truck and improved logistics functions enabled continued growth enabling Hope to distribute more than 1 million pounds of food. As we begin FY26, the Hope Food Pantry is once again under construction – this time to add additional capacity for cold storage – both refrigerated and frozen. That project is scheduled for completion before Thanksgiving.
Clothing. The Hope Clothing Closet is an essential part of the organization’s basic needs services. Hope provides neighbors with new socks and underwear alongside new and gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories in a neighbor choice style store we call the Hope Clothing Closet. This ministry was closed for part of FY21 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Since reopening, it has grown rapidly. In FY23 the space was reimagined to be more like Hope Thrift – just without any price tags. In FY24 that vision was more fully realized with the construction of an additional wall, painting of the space, and acquisition and installation of new fixtures. Refinements in logistics and inventory processes enabled continued growth in FY25.
While FY25’s record setting food statistics stand far above any prior year, the new clothing record established in FY25 narrowly exceed the prior record, which was set in FY16.
Empowering. After nearly 35 years of providing basic needs services, in FY22 Hope adopted a more expansive mission that included empowerment. Basic needs meet people’s needs for the immediate moment while empowerment services are focused on longer term growth especially through education that opens doors to living wage employment opportunities. Since launching mid-year in FY23, empowerment services have grown dramatically. This growth has been aided by the creation of a new classroom in FY23, the acquisition of laptops to create a computer lab in FY24, and increased partnerships in FY24 and FY25.
More than Statistics. These statistics provide a general picture of growth leading to deeper community impact. Hope is mindful that we serve people not numbers. We remind ourselves of this daily as we seek to live out our core values of faith, relationship and compassion.
Projects. Notably Hope also completed many special projects over the last year including the addition of a covered donation drop off for community supporters seeking to contribute food, clothing, and household items.
Congregational Ministry
This year, for the fourth consecutive year, I served as a small group host and facilitator for my home church: Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ.
I also spent most of the year as an interim pastor. From June 2024 through August 2025) I served in the part-time role of Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA).
And, I have stayed connected to the local church by visiting several congregations in Oklahoma City, preaching or speaking at several churches in the Dallas area (between my interim role and these opportunities I preached more than 40 times this year), and working as a clergy coach.
Wider Church Ministry
Over the last year I’ve been active in both the North Texas Association and the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ. I just completed my first year of a three year term on the Board of the South Central Conference. Additionally, I recently accepted a nomination to serve the United Church of Christ on the national level on the Board of the Church Building and Loan Fund effective January 2026.
Finally, I accepted a nomination to serve on the Board of Faith & Grief – a faith-based organization that provides opportunities for comfort and hope to those who have experienced the death of a loved one. My three-year term begins January 2026.
Writing
I’ve continued to blog here at So What Faith (est. 2009). Last year (2024) I published more posts than any year since I stepped away from full-time congregational ministry in 2015. This year, I am on pace to post more than last year.
Learning
This past academic year (September 2024 through May 2025) I learned a great deal as a Preaching Justice Fellow (September 2024 – May 2025). I shared about that experience in Preaching Justice: A Community & A Lifeline, which also links to additional related posts.
Community Building
In May, I received the Community Builder Award from Roy Stanley Masonic Lodge #1367 in recognition of my exceptional service to the East Dallas community exemplified by a deep commitment to building a community where all can thrive.
So What?
My second year as an ordained United Church of Christ minister has been a one-of-a-kind adventure.
I write this post in the midst of the longest federal government shutdown in the history of the United States of America with deep awareness of the challenges it is causing, especially among the most vulnerable. And, I recommit to doing my part to make more real each day God’s kin-dom on earth as it already is in heaven.