Most of my professional life has been in ministry of some kind. I grew up near Natchez, Mississippi and was raised in the Southern Baptist church. After college, I began working part-time in an ELCA congregation in Kansas City, Missouri and was irresistibly drawn to the Lutheran concept of grace.

Before entering the candidacy process to become a pastor, I worked as the full-time Music Director/Organist of an ELCA congregation in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. (No, not Michigan!) Music has been a part of my life from early in my childhood. (My sister taught me to read music notation before I could read words!) I am currently a handbell ringer with the Houston Bronze Ensemble, a professional handbell ensemble.

I attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and was ordained in June of 2009. I have served congregations in Littlefork, Minnesota, Plano, Texas, and Salem Lutheran here in Houston. With my music background, worship is a central part of ministry for me. I am also energized through learning and service opportunities.

The ministry of Faith Lutheran Church's mission is to focus on Worship, Learning, and Healing which speak to my heart and my mind. I love leading and planning worship, teaching and learning with others, and believe we have a profound message of healing for those who are hurting. The values of radical hospitality, community involvement, and spiritual renewal connect deeply to my own personal values. I am excited to serve with and among the people of Faith Lutheran Church.

Pastor Tan joined the Faith team in 2013 after serving 11 years as a pastor in the South Dakota Synod. Born in China, Pastor Tan graduated from Northwest University in Xi’an, taught Chinese to international students for five years, and then moved to the United States in 1997 to pursue graduate studies in Chinese literature at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. Soon after arriving, he was baptized in a Chinese Lutheran congregation, left the University, and began training to become a pastor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Pastor Tan feels God’s call to serve Chinese people by proclaiming the gospel of God’s love. Pastor Tan and his wife, Eunsook, have two sons, John and Joseph. He enjoys walking, reading, and listening to audiobooks in his spare time.

I am ordain in the ministry of Word and Sacrament. I received my Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary with a concentration in Evangelism & Justice. I also had additional training in faith formation, Buddhist ecumenism, and pastoral care. I’ve served four ELCA congregations throughout the Houston area in just about every facet of church life, from Godly Play coordinator and lay leader on church council to Synod Authorized Minister, Vicar to Director of Operations.

I’m also a medical anthropologist. Prior to entering ministry, I worked for a decade in HIV and public health for local governments. I grew up about 90 minutes outside of Houston in the rural area around Beaumont, and I am a lifelong Texan (save two years in Memphis). I live in Cypress with my husband Jason, who is a structural drafter, and my oldest stepson Griffen, a college senior and football coaching intern at Sam Houston State University. My middle stepson Gavin works in security and does video editing. My youngest stepson, Grayson, is living his best life in Tennessee with his mom’s family. I am very much a DIY-er and prefer to learn how to create and fix things myself. I love dogs, interesting earrings, strength training, and checking out all the neat places to shop and snack along Bellaire Boulevard.

Stacy Williams, joined Faith in June of 2011 and is originally from central Louisiana but has lived in Texas since 1997; she calls herself a “Texana.” She earned an A.S. in Accounting from LA Tech, a B.S. in Business Administration from Northwood University, and an M.B.A. from Texas Southern University. Stacy comes to Faith from CrossPoint Community Church (LCMS), where, for three years, she was the Director of Communication and Administrative Services. She manages the day-to-day operations of the business office, supports the pastoral staff, and supervises staff and volunteers. She brings over 15 years of corporate experience in human resources, accounting and general office management. Stacy has two daughters, Ayana and Kevondra, who are both Sam Houston State University graduates. When she is not at work, she enjoys cruising, cooking, and hanging out with her grandsons, Myles, Kase, Karter and Maddox.

Dr. Jerry Maynard (he/they) is The People's Priest; a spiritual renegade and social revolutionary. As a Two-Spirit Indigenous Person (Xochihua) Father Jerry strives to offer healing medicine at the intersections of church & society through pastoral care & public witness in Houston, TX. A respected leader in progressive christian and interfaith circles, Father Jerry has played crucial roles in grassroots efforts to foster radical inclusion and social justice. As a scholar and educator, Dr. Jerry has published books, essays, and articles that cover timely and timeless topics including postmodernism, protest chaplaincy, queer hermeneutics, practical spirituality and much more.

Yu Cao came to the United States in 1999 after she graduated from Peking University Health Science Center with a Bachelor of Medicine. She studied Neuroscience at the Ohio State University, earning her Ph.D. in 2006. She then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Ohio State University before she moved to Houston with her family in December 2010. Yu has been happily married for many years. She and her husband, Jinbin, have two daughters, Alice and Belle. Yu enjoys reading and cooking when she gets some time of her own.