The North Texas Conference is an Annual Conference

Annual 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...

 (a regional episcopal

Episcopal polity

Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...

 area of 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...

). This conference encompasses a triangle-shaped northern portion of the state of Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 that spans from Dallas to Wichita Falls to Paris. The conference includes a small geographic area relative to most annual conferences. At the end of 2006, it ranked 18th of 63 in membership and 22nd of 63 in worship attendance for U.S. Conferences.

Administrative offices are located in Plano, Texas

Plano, Texas

Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...

. It is part of the Southcentral Jurisdictional Conference. On September 1, 2008, Bishop Earl Bledsoe began leading the conference.

Districts

The North Texas Annual Conference is further subdivided into four smaller regions, called "districts", which provide further administrative functions for the operation of local churches in cooperation with each other. Each district has a District Superintendent who has a vital role in determining the appointments of clergy to local churches. The districts that are comprised by the North Texas Conference are:

• Metro District. The Metro District comprises most of Dallas County. The 80 churches and fellowships in the Metro District share a mission field that is the most economically, ethnically, and culturally diverse part of the North Texas Conference. Persions living the Metro District face unique struggles and challenges. Likewise, the churches that comprise the Metro District have unique ways of assessing their needs, reaching new persons, and responding to their neighbors. A Metro District allows the District Superintendent to oversee the pastors and laity of these 80 congregations to dream dreams and implement measurable and creative ways of reaching the neighbors and neighborhoods in the Metro area. Over the next 10 years it is expected that the Metro District will increase in population by 9%. District Superintendent is Reverend Clara Reed.

• North Central District. The North Central District mission field is one of continued growth. Projected growth in parts of Dallas, Wise, and Kaufman counties is considerable. Expansive growth is expected in Denton, Collin, and Rockwall counties. Overall the North Central District can anticipate 39% population growth by 2019. By 2019 the population of the North Central District will almost equal the Metro District's population. The 73 churches and fellowships in the North Central District share a mission field that is developing, accelerating, and expanding. The District Superintdent, pastors, and churces of the North Central District have a unique and evolving mission field and need to strategize, implement, and reach the largest influx of persons moving into North Texas in the next 10 years. District Superintendent is Reverend Milton Guttierrez II.

• Northwest and East Districts. The Northwest and East Districts comprise the greatest number of rural, town and country, and county seat congregations in the North Texas Conference. While they share that demographic reality, there is little affinity of lifestyle between those who live in the East District and those who live in the Northwest District. Both Districts have projected population growth over the next decade. The Northwest District of 66 churches and fellowships can anticipate 6% growth. The East District compriseing 90 churches is projecting growth of 12%. Relating, reaching and responding to the lifestyles and midset of those who live in our rural town and country settings take a different set of skills for the District Superintendent, pastors and churches to connect, grow and send forth disciples who will transform the world for Christ.The District Superintendents are Reverend John Rosenburg for the Northwest, and Reverend Paul A. Gould for the East.

Institutions (owned by or with a strong relationship with the North Texas Conference)

• Bethlehem Center
• Bridgeport Camp & Conference Center
• C.C. Young Home
• Methodism's Breadbasket
• Methodist Medical Center of Dallas
• Project Transformation
• Prothro Center at Lake Texoma
• 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...
  
   (including 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...
  
  )
• Texas Methodist Foundation
• UMR Communications, INC
• Wesley Rankin Community Center
• Wesley Village

Key Conference Leaders

• Bishop Earl Bledsoe, Bishop effective September 2008

• Rev. Fred Durham, Director of Connectional Ministries
• Rev. James (Jim) Ozier, New Church Development Officer
• Rev. Dr. L. Marvin Guier, III, Director of Administration/Treasurer/Benefits Officer
• Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball
  Kathleen Baskin-Ball
  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...
  
  , Chair Board of Ministry, Lead clergy delegate to General Conference, Chair of the Ministry and Higher Education Legislation Committee at 2008 General Conf., Board of Dir. Texas Methodist Foundation Institute for Clergy and Congregational Excellence, nationally known preacher
• Tyrone Gordon, Clergy Delegate to General Conference, Chair of the Discipleship Legislation Committee at 2008 General Conf., Member General Board of Discipleship, nationally know preacher
• Don Underwood, Clergy Delegate to General Conference, Member of General Council on Finance and Admin., Southwestern Univ. Board of Trustees
• Clayton Oliphint, Clergy Delegate to General Conference, Board of Dir. Methodist Children's Home
• (See District Superintendents listed above.)

• Mary Brook Casad, Lead Lay Delegate to General Conference, Staff member for General UMC's Connectional Table
• Richard Hearne, Lay Delegate to General Conference, Conf. Lay Leader
  

Other Information of Interest

• Rev. Ron Henderson – Senior Pastor - Custer Road UMC. This church is the largest UMC in the nation with a cross-racial Senior Pastor appointment.

• In 2005, Highland Park UMC ranked 2nd in the nation for number of church members and 6th for worship attendance. Five churches in the conference were within the top 25 membership UMCs in the nation. Eight North Texas Conference churches were with the nation's top 100 UMCs for worship attendance. (Only the Texas, North Georgia, and Florida conferences had more churches within the top 100 for worship attendance.)

• In 1968, the North Texas Conference hosted the meeting in Dallas, Texas in which the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged with The Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church.