In September, Abilene hosted a historic event for United Methodism in the State of Texas. The North Texas (Dallas), Central Texas (Ft. Worth), and Northwest Texas (Lubbock) Conferences met to unify the Horizon Texas Conference formally. Over the weekend, over 1,000 United Methodist clergy and lay leaders from across the state’s northern half gathered for this monumental occasion. St. Paul UMC, the mother church of McMurry, hosted several hundred leaders for a retreat before the Unifying Conference. On Friday evening, McMurry University rolled out the red carpet to welcome over 500 conference delegates in the newly renovated Garrison United Methodist Campus Center.
The Friday evening festivities included an alum reunion of around 50 McMurry alums who are clergy or laity, along with a program for the larger delegate community with words of welcome from Dr. Harper, incoming president Dr. Lynne Murray, and Horizon Texas Conference Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr. McMurry University is one of the proudly celebrated legacies of United Methodism in Northwest Texas. We look forward to a rich and robust partnership with our new friends across the Horizon Texas Conference.
