Kathleen Baskin-Ball
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Baskin-Ball was an ordained elder
in the United Methodist Church
. She was ordained as deacon and probationary member of the North Texas Conference in 1983 and as elder and full member of the North Texas Conference
in 1988. She received national recognition for her preaching, especially to youth. She was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, the international youth conference of the UMC. She was also recognized regionally as the first clergywoman in North Texas to demonstrate high membership and worship attendance growth while serving as senior pastor of a large church. She had an extraordinary career record of growth in membership, worship attendance, and persons joining by profession of faith. Baskin-Ball died on December 2, 2008 after a two year battle with cancer.
degree in Psychology from North Texas State University in 1981
and an M.Div.
degree from Perkins School of Theology
at Southern Methodist University
in 1986.
of the UMC to enter seminary immediately after completing her undergraduate education. (Between 1965 and 1982, all the women ordained by the North Texas Conference were entering ministry as a second career.)
In 2002, Baskin-Ball had a Profession of Faith/Worship Attendance Index value of 17.73. (Worship attendance: 440, Profession of Faith: 78) This index denotes how many persons joined by profession of faith for every 100 persons in worship each week. This is the highest value ever recorded for a clergywoman serving a large United Methodist Church.
In 2003, Baskin-Ball was the first North Texas Conference clergywoman serving a local church appointment to be elected as a Delegate to General Conference
. (This election was for the 2004 General Conference.)
In 2004, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in North Texas to serve as the Senior Pastor of a church with average annual attendance of 500 or more. This occurred at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen.
Through 2007, Baskin-Ball had a total cumulative average annual worship attendance gain of 548 persons for her three appointments as Sr. Pastor (Nueva Esparanza – 81, Greenland Hills UMC – 168 and Suncreek UMC – 299). This appears to be the highest gain for any clergywoman in the history of the United Methodist Church and the first UMC clergywoman to break the 500 person per week gain mark. (Gains in worship attendance are calculated by taking the final or most recent full year that a pastor served a church and subtracting the church’s worship attendance for the year prior to their appointment.)
In 2007, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the 140 year history of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to be elected to lead the conference’s clergy delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences.
By mid 2008, membership at the three churches Baskin-Ball has served as Sr. Pastor had grown by a total of more than 1500 persons during her tenure. Every church at least approximately doubled in size. Membership at Suncreek UMC had tripled at the end of her sixth year of service at the church. She has done this despite being appointed as Senior Pastor to relatively small churches (0, 301, and 469 members). The membership gain of 1134 persons at Suncreek through November 2008 represents the highest gain ever achieved by a clergywoman at one church in the United Methodist Church. (She is the first UMC clergywoman to reach the 1000 member growth mark at one church.)
Baskin-Ball was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, "the Youth Gathering of The United Methodist Church," a four-day international youth conference.
In 2005, Baskin-Ball preached at SpiLiRa, a Spiritual Life Rally for youth that was sponsored by the South Central Jurisdiction of the UMC (8 state region).
Baskin-Ball has preached at several large conference youth events, including events in the Texas and Central Texas Conferences. She was the featured preacher at the 21st Annual Youth Rally in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference in early 2008 that included about 5,000 youth and adults.
Baskin-Ball has preached at a number of gatherings for youth workers including Perkins School of Youth Ministry.
Baskin-Ball was the preacher/speaker for the 2008 Hopkins Lectures at First UMC Denton, TX. She was a Rejebian Lecturer at Highland Park UMC (Dallas, TX).
In 2007, Baskin-Ball received the Award of Excellence in Word and Worship. It was presented by Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.
(See links to video of sermons in External Links listing below.)
of the United Methodist Church.
Baskin-Ball was named Best Pastor in Collin County in the 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards sponsored by Star Community Newspapers.
In mid-1989, Baskin-Ball was appointed to start a new Hispanic church in West Dallas
. The location was a very impoverished neighborhood that the Dallas Morning News called one of the poorest in the nation with “adjusted per capita income” less than “poverty-stricken Mexico.” She knew little Spanish so she took an intensive 5-week Spanish course in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She lived in the community and went door to door to start the church. A vibrant multi-ethnic congregation was formed with predominately Hispanic and African American members. Rev. Baskin-Ball preached on Sundays in both English and Spanish. They grew to a membership of 130 and were constituted as a United Methodist Church in April 1994.
In 2008, she was awarded the Hattie Rankin Moore Leadership Award by Wesley-Rankin Community Center to recognize work and leadership within the community of West Dallas.
Baskin-Ball is one of the four founders of Perkins School of Youth Ministry (est. 1998), a national training event for youth ministers.
Baskin-Ball worked with the organization Proyecto Abrigo in Juarez, Mexico since its beginning and introduced many churches to the mission. After her death, a small neighborhood in the outskirts of Juarez was christened "La Colonia Kathleen Baskin-Ball" by Proyecto Abrigo. A plaque can be found in the neighborhood with this dedication.
Elder (Methodism)
An Elder in the Methodist Church — sometimes called a Presbyter or Minister — is someone who has been ordained by a Bishop to the ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service...
in the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. She was ordained as deacon and probationary member of the North Texas Conference in 1983 and as elder and full member of the North Texas Conference
North Texas Conference
The North Texas Conference is an Annual Conference . This conference encompasses a triangle-shaped northern portion of the state of Texas that spans from Dallas to Wichita Falls to Paris. The conference includes a small geographic area relative to most annual conferences...
in 1988. She received national recognition for her preaching, especially to youth. She was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, the international youth conference of the UMC. She was also recognized regionally as the first clergywoman in North Texas to demonstrate high membership and worship attendance growth while serving as senior pastor of a large church. She had an extraordinary career record of growth in membership, worship attendance, and persons joining by profession of faith. Baskin-Ball died on December 2, 2008 after a two year battle with cancer.
Churches served
- Suncreek United Methodist ChurchSuncreek United Methodist ChurchSuncreek United Methodist Church of is part of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. The church was started in 1995 and was officially constituted as a United Methodist Church on September 22, 1996...
, Senior Pastor, 2001-2008 (Allen, TexasAllen, TexasAllen is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States, a northern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 84,246.-Geography:According to the City of Allen, the city has a total area of...
) - Greenland HillsGreenland Hills, Dallas, TexasGreenland Hills is a neighborhood in east Dallas, Texas . It is bounded on the west by North Central Expressway , on the south by Vanderbilt Avenue, on the east by Greenville Avenue and on the north by McCommas Boulevard....
United Methodist Church, Senior Pastor, 1994-2001 (East Dallas, TexasEast DallasEast Dallas comprises many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas, .- Neighborhoods :*Baylor/Meadows*Belmont*Hilltop*Bryan Place*Buckner Terrace*East Grand*Casa Linda Estates*Cochran Heights*Casa View*Claremont*Deep Ellum*Eastwood...
) - Nueva Esperanza United Methodist Church, Pastor, 1989-1994 (West Dallas, Texas)
- First United Methodist Church of Denton, Associate Pastor, 1984-1989 (Denton, TexasDenton, TexasThe city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
) - First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, Intern Pastor, 1983-1984 (Wichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
) - Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Associate Pastor, Director of Youth Ministries, 1980-1983 (Carrollton, TexasCarrollton, Texas-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was 112°F in 1980.*The average coolest month is January.*The lowest recorded temperature was 1°F in 1989.*The most precipitation on average occurs in May....
)
Education
Baskin-Ball earned a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Psychology from North Texas State University in 1981
and an M.Div.
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree from Perkins School of Theology
Perkins School of Theology
Perkins School of Theology is one of Southern Methodist University's three original schools. The theology school was renamed in 1945 to honor benefactors Joe J...
at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
in 1986.
Clergywoman milestones
In 1981, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the North Texas ConferenceAnnual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
of the UMC to enter seminary immediately after completing her undergraduate education. (Between 1965 and 1982, all the women ordained by the North Texas Conference were entering ministry as a second career.)
In 2002, Baskin-Ball had a Profession of Faith/Worship Attendance Index value of 17.73. (Worship attendance: 440, Profession of Faith: 78) This index denotes how many persons joined by profession of faith for every 100 persons in worship each week. This is the highest value ever recorded for a clergywoman serving a large United Methodist Church.
In 2003, Baskin-Ball was the first North Texas Conference clergywoman serving a local church appointment to be elected as a Delegate to General Conference
General conference (United Methodist Church)
The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection...
. (This election was for the 2004 General Conference.)
In 2004, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in North Texas to serve as the Senior Pastor of a church with average annual attendance of 500 or more. This occurred at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen.
Through 2007, Baskin-Ball had a total cumulative average annual worship attendance gain of 548 persons for her three appointments as Sr. Pastor (Nueva Esparanza – 81, Greenland Hills UMC – 168 and Suncreek UMC – 299). This appears to be the highest gain for any clergywoman in the history of the United Methodist Church and the first UMC clergywoman to break the 500 person per week gain mark. (Gains in worship attendance are calculated by taking the final or most recent full year that a pastor served a church and subtracting the church’s worship attendance for the year prior to their appointment.)
In 2007, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the 140 year history of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to be elected to lead the conference’s clergy delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences.
By mid 2008, membership at the three churches Baskin-Ball has served as Sr. Pastor had grown by a total of more than 1500 persons during her tenure. Every church at least approximately doubled in size. Membership at Suncreek UMC had tripled at the end of her sixth year of service at the church. She has done this despite being appointed as Senior Pastor to relatively small churches (0, 301, and 469 members). The membership gain of 1134 persons at Suncreek through November 2008 represents the highest gain ever achieved by a clergywoman at one church in the United Methodist Church. (She is the first UMC clergywoman to reach the 1000 member growth mark at one church.)
Preaching
Baskin-Ball preached at Children's Ministries Forum '08, the United Methodist Church's three-day national children's ministries conference.Baskin-Ball was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, "the Youth Gathering of The United Methodist Church," a four-day international youth conference.
In 2005, Baskin-Ball preached at SpiLiRa, a Spiritual Life Rally for youth that was sponsored by the South Central Jurisdiction of the UMC (8 state region).
Baskin-Ball has preached at several large conference youth events, including events in the Texas and Central Texas Conferences. She was the featured preacher at the 21st Annual Youth Rally in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference in early 2008 that included about 5,000 youth and adults.
Baskin-Ball has preached at a number of gatherings for youth workers including Perkins School of Youth Ministry.
Baskin-Ball was the preacher/speaker for the 2008 Hopkins Lectures at First UMC Denton, TX. She was a Rejebian Lecturer at Highland Park UMC (Dallas, TX).
In 2007, Baskin-Ball received the Award of Excellence in Word and Worship. It was presented by Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.
(See links to video of sermons in External Links listing below.)
Other Content of Interest
Baskin-Ball was elected as Chair of the Ministry and Higher Education Legislation Committee for the 2008 General ConferenceGeneral conference (United Methodist Church)
The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection...
of the United Methodist Church.
Baskin-Ball was named Best Pastor in Collin County in the 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards sponsored by Star Community Newspapers.
In mid-1989, Baskin-Ball was appointed to start a new Hispanic church in West Dallas
West Dallas
West Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . West Dallas is the area bounded by Interstate 30 on the south, the Trinity River on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west....
. The location was a very impoverished neighborhood that the Dallas Morning News called one of the poorest in the nation with “adjusted per capita income” less than “poverty-stricken Mexico.” She knew little Spanish so she took an intensive 5-week Spanish course in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She lived in the community and went door to door to start the church. A vibrant multi-ethnic congregation was formed with predominately Hispanic and African American members. Rev. Baskin-Ball preached on Sundays in both English and Spanish. They grew to a membership of 130 and were constituted as a United Methodist Church in April 1994.
In 2008, she was awarded the Hattie Rankin Moore Leadership Award by Wesley-Rankin Community Center to recognize work and leadership within the community of West Dallas.
Baskin-Ball is one of the four founders of Perkins School of Youth Ministry (est. 1998), a national training event for youth ministers.
Baskin-Ball worked with the organization Proyecto Abrigo in Juarez, Mexico since its beginning and introduced many churches to the mission. After her death, a small neighborhood in the outskirts of Juarez was christened "La Colonia Kathleen Baskin-Ball" by Proyecto Abrigo. A plaque can be found in the neighborhood with this dedication.
External links
- Biography on Suncreek UMC website
- Dallas Morning News Article -Saturday, April 21, 2007
- Channel 8 TV News (WFAA Dallas- ABC) Story - April 8, 2007
- Dallas Morning News Article -Saturday, June 9, 2007
- Women Worth Watching Article on page 12 in the January-March Edition of The Flyer a publication of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church.
- Growing Churches Led by Clergywomen
- North Texas Conference 2008 Delegate Elections
- Video Clip of Preaching at Youth 2007 - July 14, 2007
- Video of Sermon at First United Methodist Church of Denton- April 6, 2008
- Dallas Morning News Article -Saturday, November 29, 2008
- Dallas Morning News Article -Tuesday, December 2, 2008
- Dallas Morning News Editorial-Tuesday, December 3, 2008
- Dallas Morning News Memorial Service Video-Saturday, December 6, 2008
- Dallas Morning Metro Blog Commentary -Monday, December 8, 2008
- Dallas Morning Religion Blog Commentary -Monday, December 8, 2008