Staff

Senior Pastor
281.466.8672

When Ed Robb stepped up to the pulpit in 1978, the 30-member fellowship was stunned. “He looked like a high school kid,” one member reminisced. Indeed, Ed had received his Master of Theology degree from SMU’s Perkins School of Theology a mere two years earlier. Still, this fledgling Methodist congregation needed a preacher, and God had supplied one.

Today, a quarter century later, The Woodlands United Methodist Church is one of the fastest growing in Methodism, with a thriving congregation. Ed is a leader with great vision and great faith, as well as a man of great humility. He is dedicated to missions both locally and abroad and has a willingness to go where God points. And while he serves greater Methodism in a number of capacities—as chairman of A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE) and as trustee of The Institute of Religion and Democracy and Asbury Theological Seminary—Ed’s heart remains with his church.

Not only did Ed build a church and a great legacy, but he also built a life. He and Beverley, his wife and college sweetheart, raised three children, Edmund, Nathaniel, and Ashley in The Woodlands UMC.

Pastor of Discipleship
rrenfroe@twumc.org
281.297.5932

According to noted author John Eldredge in his book Wild at Heart, men in churches today are bored. Rob Renfroe believes that’s because most churches today offer a version of spirituality that often doesn’t appeal to men. His passion is to change that. As pastor of adult discipleship, Rob is charged with helping all adult members of the church to grow in their faith, to discover their calling, and to find a place to serve Christ and others, but he is especially drawn to serving the men of the congregation. He leads the popular Quest, a men’s breakfast attended by 300 men for eight weeks each fall and spring. “We’ve been successful with Quest because we treat men like men and talk about real life issues that matter to them,” Rob said.

Because of his leadership and example, hundreds of men are walking paths of integrity and assuming roles of spiritual leadership in their homes and community. Rob, a graduate of Rice University and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has served The Woodlands UMC for 10 years, beginning in 1982. He’s been described as a visionary, insightful, quick-witted, and a little mischievous. When he’s not serving others, he and Peggy, a fitness instructor and his wife of 27 years, enjoy listening to live music at The Mucky Duck. He runs to keep up with his active wife and their two college-age sons, Ian and Stephen.

Pastor of Missions
jhull@twumc.org
281.297.5924

The children in Mexico call him “Juan, el guapo.” The young missionary introduced himself as “John, the handsome” as a little joke intended to break the ice, but the name stuck. John Hull’s life of poverty and service in that poor community was a far cry from his earlier days. As a young man, John was living the American dream. He had an MBA, a successful career, and the respect and admiration of his peers. He was completely self-sufficient… or so he thought. A series of tragedies taught him otherwise. He needed God; he needed Christ. He surrendered everything and found a calling he could never have foreseen—a heart for the poor and suffering and a compassion for the lost. He traded the trappings of success for the humble life of a servant. And it is in the serving of the least of these that he feels closest to God and the most empowered by him.

As missions pastor, John shares with the church Christ’s heart for the world. He provides direction so that the church can take Christ, and be Christ, to those who need Him, around the corner and around the world. He came to know members of The Woodlands UMC when teams came to serve with him in Mexico. “I saw a love for God that was strong and deeply committed,” he said. He joined the church full-time upon completing his doctoral degree at Asbury Seminary.

Pastor of Worship
jlagrone@twumc.org
281.297.5922

Growing up, Jessica LaGrone loved people and science, and sensing God’s call to be a healer, headed for a career in medicine. After a couple of summers of working in a clinic for low-income families, she made a realization: “We were fixing people’s illnesses, but their lives were still broken. I wanted so badly to introduce them to the one Person I knew could really help and heal them.”

After finishing a degree in pre-medical Biology from Southwestern University in Georgetown, God directed Jessica’s path to ministry. She worked in youth ministry before attending Asbury Theological Seminary. “What I learned there confirmed my call to be a healer, just in a different light.”

Jessica has a passion for connecting people closer to Christ and to one another. Her position at The Woodlands UMC as Pastor of Connecting Ministries allows her the pleasure of helping people find places to grow in their faith through learning in small groups and serving in ministry. “I love to see people becoming more fully connected to Christ and feeling at home in His family.”

Jessica and her husband Jim, a college math instructor and doctoral student, were married in 2005. They have a blended family (each brought one dog to the marriage) and can often be found cycling around the hike and bike paths of The Woodlands.

Pastor of Senior Adults
mlewis@twumc.org
281.297.5946

Even as a young boy, Mark Lewis wanted to be a preacher. He literally grew up in the life and ministry of his home church in Houston, followed by years of college, seminary, and post-graduate study in Scotland and England. After more than fifty years of faithful service in the pulpit, Mark had, indeed, earned his retirement. So in 2002, he and his wife, Jeannette, packed up and headed north to The Woodlands for some much needed rest, relaxation, and the opportunity to draw even closer to their grandchildren.

But Mark loved God’s people even more than he loved God’s provision. So when Senior Pastor Ed Robb asked him to come out of retirement and minister to the needs of the church’s 600 seniors, he didn’t hesitate. His days are again full, sharing God’s love in hospital rooms, in retirement homes, at funerals, and at the many programs and activities sponsored by The Woodlands UMC. He also serves as director of development of The Woodlands UMC Foundation, assisting ministries of the church through special memorial gifts and calling attention to importance of family wills and opportunities to expand its ministries to others. Christ assured us, “By this shall all men know that you are my Disciple, that ye love one another” John 13:35. Mark couldn’t imagine living any other way.

Lead Pastor, The Loft
anixon@twumc.org
281.466.8606

Before joing the staff of The Woodlands UMC, Andy served United Methodist churches in Arkansas for 13 years. Most recently he served as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Maumelle, a suburb of Little Rock. A graduate of Washington and Lee University and Yale Divinity School, Andy enjoys the academic side of Christianity.

Heading up the worship team, preaching, and overseeing the daily operations are just a few of Andy’s responsibilities as the lead minister of The Loft. “I’m someone who didn’t grow up in church,” shares Andy. “One of my greatest loves is helping the church become relevant to the lives of those who are yet to discover their place in it. I’m challenged and excited about the opportunity that’s ahead of us in fulfilling God’s plan for this ministry.”

Andy and his wife, Deborah, have been married for 14 years, and they have two children, Anna and Noah. When not at church, you are likely to find him running the trails of The Woodlands or pursuing a passion for cooking—two hobbies that complement each other nicely, or so he thinks.

Pastor of Young Adults
thagans@twumc.org
281.466.8607

Terence was born and raised in America’s Finest City—San Diego, CA. When he was 14, he found out that Jesus is awesome, and decided to become a Christian. Back in his high school days, he studied hard, pretended to be a wrestling superstar, and decided he wanted to become President of the United States of America. During his freshman year at Stanford University (don’t get too impressed… after all, he only majored in Sociology), Terence joined the Army Reserve and later Army ROTC. About a year before he graduated from college, he realized that God was calling him to be something much cooler than the President—he was calling him to become a pastor. He spent the next three years at Duke University’s Divinity School, where he studied theology during the day, and served as the RA for an undergrad fraternity at night. Now Terence has the best job on planet earth—he gets to hang out with young adults and spread God’s love all over the place. In his free time, Terence loves to run, watch movies and hang out with friends, talking about deep, interesting or random stuff late into the hours of the night. Among his more noble ambitions, Terence eagerly awaits the day when he will become the first preacher ever to be featured on the cover of GQ Magazine.

Missionary in Residence/Pastor of Outreach
jpurcell@twumc.org
281.297.5943

Joel first became involved with The Woodlands United Methodist Church in 1984 when he and his wife, Sarah, were preparing to go to Africa as missionaries. The Woodlands UMC’s congregation caught their vision and became the primary supporting church for their ministry, a relationship that continues to this day. After serving in Africa for one year, Joel and Sarah’s ministry called them to Peru where they began the Cinevan ministry, which used film showings in an open air setting as a means of evangelism and church planting. Hundreds of people came to know Christ through this ministry and many churches were birthed as a result of this outreach.

Twelve years ago, Joel and Sarah became involved in assisting pastors by providing literature to assist in their work. This ministry carried them throughout the country of Peru and Joel was involved in training pastors through this project. This ministry grew and five years ago Joel, Sarah and their two children returned to The Woodlands UMC where he has spread their literature ministry throughout the world.

In addition to his literature ministry, Joel serves as The Woodlands UMC’s Pastor of Outreach. As pastor of outreach, Joel is responsible for contacting new members and assisting people in the process of becoming members. With his relationship with The Woodlands UMC that has spanned over 20 years, Joel is a perfect fit to tell others why The Woodlands UMC is a special place to call home.

Pastor of Caring Ministries
critter@twumc.org
281.297.5953

Director of Family Life Ministries
ssteely@twumc.org
281.297.5919

Programs Coordinator
hhlopak@twumc.org
281.297.5907

Family Life Administrative Assistant
gono@twumc.org
281.297.5917

Director of Student Ministries
bswan@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Senior High Minister
bmccormack@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Jr. High Minister
tgwaltney@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Minister of Student Missions
harizmendi@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Jr. High Assistant
lalexander@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Student Ministry Administrative Assistant
lmiller@twumc.org
281.297.5940

Director of Child Development
lwilmoth@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Assistant Director
dverploeg@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Office Manager
dmartin@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Financial Analyst
jfettes@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Administrative Assistant
bgagliardi@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Administrative Assistant
kjoraholmen@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Receptionist
281.297.5959

Preschool Nurse
pgamwell@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Literacy Coach
jlangkamp@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Resource
lrobertson@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Preschool Librarian
tvanderslice@twumc.org
281.297.5959

Nursery Co-Director, Scheduling and Events
jestes@twumc.org
281.297.5967

Nursery Co-Director, Operations
cswenson@twumc.org
281.466.8656

Nursery Assistant Director
jdonovan@twumc.org
281.297.5960

Nursery Financial Analyst
jwalles@twumc.org
281.297.5978

Nursery Human Resources
shorne@twumc.org
281.297.5911

Director of Music Ministries
lkramer@twumc.org
281.297.5903

Director of Contemporary Music
jkey@twumc.org
281.466.8646

Contemporary Worship Leader
matt@mattbro.com
281.466.8646

Contemporary Worship Leader
zhendricks@twumc.org
281.466.8603

Music Ministry Assistant
sgoldsmith@twumc.org
281.297.5904

Music Associate
281.297.5904

Music Associate
ttaylor@twumc.org
281.466.8627

Director of Instrumental Music
10jes@sbcglobal.net
281.297.5947

Director of Drama Ministry, The Loft
dbarber@twumc.org
281.466.8624

Music Associate/WAFA Administrator/Organist
dmckenery@twumc.org
281.297.5961

Director of Operations
jneikirk@twumc.org
281.466.8608

Senior Minister’s Assistant
amyjones@twumc.org
281.466.8672

Human Resources Administrator
pherron@twumc.org
281.466.8637

Church Receptionist
eschilling@twumc.org
281.297.5900

Church Receptionist
mmann@twumc.org
281.297.5900

Associate Pastor’s Assistant
tloughridge@twumc.org
281.297.5932

Director of Small Groups
aellis@twumc.org
281.882.8150

Adult Discipleship Assistant
lblanchard@twumc.org
281.297.5979

Caring Ministry Assistant
crandolph@twumc.org
281.297.5953

Associate Assistant to Missions
jjordan@twumc.org
281.297.5929

Loft Logistics
rtunstall@twumc.org
281.466.8624

SIM International Literature & Assistant to Connecting Ministries
slewallen@twumc.org
281.466.8618

Director of Communications
msims@twumc.org
281.297.5973

Communications Traffic Manager
kamato@twumc.org
281.297.5926

Communications Administrative Assistant
lmarino@twumc.org
281.297.5974

Director of Facilities
rgilger@twumc.org
281.297.5933

Facilities Coordinator
dspencer@twumc.org
281.297.5930

Facilities Manager
jdaniels@twumc.org
281.297.5914

Assistant Facilities Manager
breeves@twumc.org
281.297.5975

Facilities Engineer
ldickson@twumc.org
281.466.8678

Food Services/Columns Café Director
sgasaway@twumc.org
281.297.5969

Food Services Assistant
mcreighton@twumc.org
281.297.5969

Bookstore Manager
pschwartzkopf@twumc.org
281.297.5950

Financial Controller
djohnson@twumc.org
281.297.5927

Senior Accountant
dcantu@twumc.org
281.297.5910

Accounting Assistant - Contributions
bhamrick@twumc.org
281.297.5934

Accounting Assistant - Payables
abatson@twumc.org
281.466.8632

Executive Director, Grace Point Counseling Center
sjones@twumc.org
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Counselor
281.466.8602

Grace Point CC Administrative Assistant
tdaniels@twumc.org
281.466.8602