Rev. Fred Willis, Pastor

Rev. Fred, Selah and Sarah Willis
EDUCATION
Born in Texas City,
Texas, to a United Methodist family, Rev. Fred Willis was raised in
Pearland, Texas, where he graduated High School. He received his
undergraduate degree from the U of H Architecture School where he was
awarded a B.S. in Environmental Design and a minor in Construction
Management. During his undergraduate work, he accepted his call into
full time ministry while attending a Walk to Emmaus (College Chrysalis)
and eventually was accepted to Perkins School of Theology, where he
received a Master’s of Divinity. He has expanded his education by
attending both a Clinical Pastoral Education program (hospital chaplaincy)
during his seminary years and a Pastoral Care Specialist Program,
receiving certification through the Kriss Samaritan Counseling Center.
HISTORY
Reverend Willis was
officially ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in May of
2002.
League City United
Methodist Church – Associate Pastor- served 5 years
Focuses and accomplishments include: Evangelism
and working to assimilate new members into the church, the Disciple Bible
Study series, started a Christian Book Club for working mothers and
retirees, spearheaded the Communications Committee, which focused on
communication both inside and outside the church finding new technology
for the church, established the church’s website, began the church’s now
successful Alternative Worship Service known as Mosaic.
San Augustine First
United Methodist Church – Pastor - served 3 years
Rev. Willis found himself in a community that loved its heritage/history
and looked for community involvement from everyone. Some notable
achievements have centered on capital improvements and finance. This
included the remodeling of the parsonage, the choir room, and the youth
rooms. In a church as historic and old as San Augustine FUMC, it has been
a great challenge to blend the old with the new in a respectful way.
WORSHIP
“I was raised in a very
high-church traditional sort of worship and have always found a lot of
spirituality in the historical traditions of the church. At the same time,
I also enjoy a lot of the elements of the Contemporary worship a lot of
churches use today. To me, the perfect worship is always one that blends
whatever is needed to help the congregation give appropriate praise to God
as well as help the faith community become empowered to go out into the
world for the next week.”
FAMILY
Fred met and married his
wife, Sarah Willis, while in League City. They were married on December 28th,
1999. Sarah worked as a school teacher in Seabrook, Texas for 5 years. She
was certified to teach Art at Elementary Levels. Sarah is an artist and
has a several small businesses/interests on the side such as painting
children’s furniture, murals, and selling Mary Kay.
Sarah and Fred recently
adopted their first child from China. During August 2005, they took a two
week trip to Beijing and then to Nanchang in the Jiangxi province. They
adopted a beautiful 9-month old girl and named her Selah Anne Willis.
Selah was born November 8, 2004.
During his life, Rev.
Willis has developed a myriad of interests and hobbies. He enjoys
classical music and even experimenting with different instruments. He
loves to read books of all sorts; his tastes running the gambit from
Fantasy to Theological, from Science Fiction to Psychology. Together,
Sarah and Fred enjoy cooking all sorts of new dishes, shopping for
relaxation, attending the Renaissance Faire each year, and even playing
video games together.
The Willis family have
begun the process to adopt another child from China, which should happen
sometime in the next year to year and a half. Rev Willis is interested in
beginning his Doctorate in Ministry, as well, and hopes to specialize in
Technological Evangelism & the Study of how modern day society receives
information so as to further the church’s ability to tell the world the
message of Christ.
