2024 South Central Jurisdictional Conference Recap
Perkins School of Theology was well-represented at the 15th South Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church, held July 10-12 at Central Rogers United Methodist Church in Rogers, Ark.
On the conference’s second day, a report from Perkins was presented by Andy Keck, Perkins’s Chief of Staff and Assistant Dean of Marketing & Communications, ad interim. Keck extended words of greeting to the conference from Dr. Hugo Magallanes, Dean, ad interim, and expressed appreciation to Bishop Michael McKee, who “faithfully served Perkins interim dean for almost a year and half after his retirement from the episcopacy.”
On July 11, eleven speakers delivered “LED Talks,” reflecting on the conference theme, “Led Forth in Peace.” Followed the format of “TED Talks,” each 8-minute talk provided information through inspirational storytelling and visuals. Three Perkins alumni were among the LED speakers:
- The Rev. Ramon F. Smith (M. Div., 2009), Senior Pastor of Saginaw United Methodist Church in Saginaw, Texas, and an elder in the Central Texas Conference;
- The Rev. Ronnie Miller-Yow (M. Div., 2006), Pastor of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church and Chaplain and Director of the Office of Religious Life at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Ark.
- The Rev. Michael Gienger (M. Div., 2017) co-pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas, and founder of Galveston Housing Plus (GH+) — a new nonprofit providing supportive housing for persons exiting homelessness.
Perkins also hosted a table in the exhibit area to greet alumni and to meet prospective students.