Beginning January 1, 2024, the Eastern Texas Conference will be known as the Trinity Conference of the Global Methodist Church — a family of churches in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
WHY CHANGE?
At the inception of the Eastern Texas Conference of the Global Methodist Church in the fall of 2022, its board of directors chose a name that simply mirrored the geographic area of the Conference in our former denomination. Little did they know how God would expand their territories to include GM clergy and churches throughout the states of Louisiana and Arkansas. During the past year it became immediately apparent that the Conference needed to rename in order to more adequately reflect the robust participation and growth across the Conference regions.
WHY TRINITY?
After reviewing close to 700 of survey responses, a special Name Change Task Force and the Conference Connectional Council arrived at a unanimous decision to be strategic with this one-time-only renaming exercise.
Seeing this as an opportunity to express a collective identity in a more meaningful way than mere geography, the Task Force and Connectional Council favored a theologically significant name that is central to a shared connection with God and each other by way of the Holy Spirit.
Ordering life and work in the presence of the Triune God represents a heart posture and a ministry mindset; a universally understood framework that unifies members of the annual conference. This name reaffirms the Wesleyan Witness contained within Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity as contained in the Articles of Religion. The Holy Trinity is illustrated in the overlapping circles in the Global Methodist Church logo.
Trinity remains applicable regardless of any future changes to geographic participation. It erases state boundaries and promotes the idea of collaborative and cohesive ministry even as more churches consider joining.
The Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church has approved this name change, and the change has been filed with State of Texas. A new web address will go into use on January 1, 2024: trinitygmc.org. The Conference will begin branding updates on all print and digital properties, with all work complete by January 1, 2024.
Please join us in embracing this new name with excitement and support.
Name Change Task Force
LAITY
Mrs. Sarah Kreutziger — LA
Mr. Carl Brothers — AR
Mr. Oscar Garza — TX
CLERGY
Rev. John Robert Black — LA
Rev. Bryan Fink — AR
Rev. Enid Henderson — TX
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Rev. Jim Welch, President Pro Tempore
Rev. Jason Burnham, Executive Officer
Rev. Vivian Kinnear, Operators Officer
