Pastor: Rev. Annette Meehan
Currently Reverend Annette resides in DeSoto on Thunderbrook Drive where cars are often slowing down to look at the front lawn that she has turned into a cottage garden.
She lives there with her husband of over 40 years and their dog, Dalian and 3 cats - 2 Siamese and 1 Abyssinian and various fish. Rev. Annette has 3 grown daughters who live with their husbands and 2 grandchildren (often seen visiting in the worship service.)
Rev. Annette is a native of Philadelphia where she graduated from Philadelphia’s premier Girl's High School with college credits in music. She is adept at playing Recorders and has continued her music education throughout her years of service in the church. She has both composed and arranged music for choir groups and instrumental groups, with special attention to each person’s part considering the level each is currently able to play.
Annette studied with the Music Master of Williamsburg, Va. and is always interested in developing and working with early music groups.
Rev. Annette graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia with a B.A. in Psychology. She continues to use her degree by providing classes in personality for young people and adults; also for church leaders with programs that she has developed while working on her Spirituality Certificate.
Rev. Annette studied Education for Ministry while working in Christian Education in a program by extension (University of the South) for 4 years and earned another certificate.
During this time she wrote many programs in Christian Education, taught at retreat and religious education centers and developed service music.
Rev. Annette has a 4 year certificate in Spiritual Direction which is probably one of the most useful of her accomplishments for our congregation. She is constantly including fascinating ways of interpreting scripture, nurturing ways of being a church, painless ways of introducing us to Christian history and in general making our journey in developing our own ways of being Christian an exciting event in our lives. She regularly holds classes in spirituality for our congregation and the community. She is a particularly adept teacher of Kaballah and plans to hold workshops in this spiritual discipline in the fall of ’06.
Rev. Annette graduated from Perkins School of Theology, S.M.U. with the degree of Master of Divinity. She also has her papers with the Presbyterian Church where she is an inactive minister. She has worked in the Church for over 30 years and brings to our congregation a wide array of experience.
Most of all Rev. Annette has the gift of being able to work with people of all ages and in enabling all of us to work with one another. Her ability to bring a passage of the Bible to life through her knowledge of ancient history keeps both the adults and the children listening attentively. Her ability to be flexible and respectful of the varied religious needs of persons makes us all feel comfortable whether we are participating in worship, study, service, or fellowship. Rev. Annette is a non-judgmental person who brings to her ministry in our congregation the seeds of being open, loving, and affirming of all persons which we all value.
She would enjoy meeting you and warmly welcome you and your family to our church.
Music Minister: Ellen Miller
Ellen Miller comes to us with a BA in Music Education and an MA in Piano Performance from Western Illinois University. Although a native of Illinois, Ellen spent twelve years in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she taught piano and played for various functions, including church. Having spent the last twelve years in Texas, she still enjoys teaching piano, accompanying college vocal students, directing the choir, and playing for church services at First Christian Church in DeSoto. She is also a wife and a mother of three children, two boys and a girl, who also share their musical talents in the church services.