Kathleen Baskin-Ball

Kathleen Baskin-Ball is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. She was ordained as deacon and probationary member of the North Texas Conference in 1983 and as elder and full member of the North Texas Conference in 1988. She has received national recognition for her preaching, especially to youth. She was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, the international youth conference of the UMC. She is also recognized regionally as the first clergywoman in North Texas to demonstrate high membership and worship attendance growth while serving as Sr. Pastor of a large church. She has an extraordinary career record of growth in membership, worship attendance, and persons joining by profession of faith.

Churches served

*Suncreek United Methodist Church, Senior Pastor, 2001-present (Allen, Texas)
*Greenland Hills United Methodist Church, Senior Pastor, 1994-2001 (East Dallas, Texas)
*Nueva Esperanza United Methodist Church, Pastor, 1989-1994 (West Dallas, Texas)
*First United Methodist Church of Denton, Associate Pastor, 1984-1989 (Denton, Texas)
*First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, Intern Pastor, 1983-1984 (Wichita Falls, Texas)
*Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Associate Pastor, Director of Youth Ministries, 1980-1983 (Carrollton, Texas)

Education

Baskin-Ball earned a B.A. degree in Psychology from North Texas State University in 1981 [cite news | title=Spring 2005 Class Notes| publisher=University of North Texas| url =http://www.unt.edu/northtexan/archives/s05/classnotes80.htm| accessdate = 2007-09-18 ] and an M.Div. degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1986.

Clergywoman milestones

In 1981, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the North Texas Conference of the UMC to enter seminary immediately after completing her undergraduate education. (Between 1965 and 1982, all the women ordained by the North Texas Conference were entering ministry as a second career.)

In 2002, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball had a "Profession of Faith/Worship Attendance Index" value of 17.73. (Worship attendance: 440, Profession of Faith: 78) This index denotes how many persons joined by profession of faith for every 100 persons in worship each week. This is the highest value ever recorded for a clergywoman serving a large United Methodist Church. [cite news | title=United Methodist Clergywomen Milestones and Records| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_milestones.html | accessdate = 2007-09-18 ] [cite news | title=Growing Churches Led by Clergywomen| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_large_church_.html | accessdate = 2007-09-15 ]

In 2003, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball was the first North Texas Conference clergywoman serving a local church appointment to be elected as a Delegate to General Conference. (This election was for the 2004 General Conference.) [cite book | last = George, (Editor)| first = Rev. Larry W. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Journal of the 2003 North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church | publisher = North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church | date = 2003 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ]

In 2004, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in North Texas to serve as the Senior Pastor of a church with average annual attendance of 500 or more. This occurred at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen. [cite news | title=Women Worth Watching | work =January-March Edition of The Flyer | publisher=General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church | url =http://www.gcsrw.org/the_flyer/flyer_archives/2007_JFM_Flyer.pdf | location = Article on page 12 | accessdate = 2007-09-10 ]

Through 2007, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball had a total cumulative average annual worship attendance gain of 548 persons for her three appointments as Sr. Pastor (Nueva Esparanza – 81, Greenland Hills UMC – 168 and Suncreek UMC – 299). This appears to be the highest gain for any clergywoman in the history of the United Methodist Church and the first UMC clergywoman to break the 500 person per week gain mark. (Gains in worship attendance are calculated by taking the final or most recent full year that a pastor served a church and subtracting the church’s worship attendance for the year prior to their appointment.) [cite news | title=United Methodist Clergywomen Milestones and Records| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_milestones.html | accessdate = 2007-09-18 ] [cite news | title=Growing Churches Led by Clergywomen| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_large_church_.html | accessdate = 2007-09-15 ]

In 2007, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the 140 year history of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to be elected to lead the conference’s clergy delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences. [cite book | last = Bearden, (Editor) | first = Rev. Leighton H. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Journal of the 2007 North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church | publisher = North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church | date = 2007 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ] [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=North Texas Annual Conference | date=2007-07-15 | publisher=United Methodist Publishing House | url =http://www.umph.org/images/uploads/newscope/NSJun152007.pdf | work =Newscope | pages =8, see p.5 | accessdate = 2007-09-09 | language = ]

By mid 2008, membership at the three churches Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball has served as Sr. Pastor had grown by a total of more than 1500 persons during her tenure. Every church at least approximately doubled in size. Membership at Suncreek UMC had tripled at the end of her sixth year of service at the church. She has done this despite being appointed as Senior Pastor to relatively small churches (0, 301, and 469 members). The membership gain of 1093 persons at Suncreek through May 2008 represents the highest gain ever achieved by a clergywoman at one church in the United Methodist Church. (She is the first UMC clergywoman to reach the 1000 member growth mark at one church.) [cite news | title=United Methodist Clergywomen Milestones and Records| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_milestones.html | accessdate = 2007-09-18 ] [cite news | title=Growing Churches Led by Clergywomen| publisher=Glorybe.com | url =http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_large_church_.html | accessdate = 2007-09-15 ]

Preaching

Rev. Baskin-Ball preached at [http://www.gbod.org/ministries/children/ Children's Ministries Forum '08] , the United Methodist Church's three-day national children's ministries conference. [cite web
url = http://www.gbod.org/ministries/children/
title = Children's Ministries
work = Children's Ministries Forum '08
publisher = Children's Ministries, General Board of Discipleship, the United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2007-08-25]

Rev. Baskin-Ball was a keynote speaker at [http://www.youth2007.org/speakers.htm Youth2007] , "the Youth Gathering of The United Methodist Church," a four-day international youth conference. [cite web
url = http://www.youth2007.org/speakers.htm
title = Speakers
work = Youth 2007
publisher = Young People's Ministries, General Board of Discipleship, the United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2007-06-12]

In 2005, Rev. Baskin-Ball preached at [http://spilira.org/spilira/index.htm SpiLiRa] , a Spiritual Life Rally for youth that was sponsored by the South Central Jurisdiction of the UMC (8 state region). [cite web
url = http://spilira.org/spilira/index.htm
title = SpiLiRa
work = SpiLiRa
publisher = South Central Jurisdiction, the United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2007-08-25]

Rev. Baskin-Ball has preached at several large conference youth events, including events in the Texas and Central Texas Conferences. She was the featured preacher at the [http://www.gbgm-umc.org/ypm/index.html 21st Annual Youth Rally] in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference in early 2008 that included about 5,000 youth and adults. [cite web
url = http://www.gbgm-umc.org/ypm/index.html
title = 21st. Annual Youth Rally in Ocean City MD
work = Events
publisher = Young People's Ministries, Peninsula-Delaware Conference, the United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2007-10-24]

Rev. Baskin-Ball has preached at a number of gatherings for youth workers including Perkins School of Youth Ministry. [cite web
url = http://www.smu.edu/theology/public_progs/PSYM/psymLeader.html
title = Featured Speakers, Perkins School of Youth Ministry
work = Perkins School of Youth Ministry
publisher = Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
accessdate = 2007-09-12] [cite web
url = http://www.smu.edu/theology/public_progs/PSYM/psym2007back_2.pdf
title = PSYM Free-For-All
work = Perkins School of Youth Ministry
publisher = Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
accessdate = 2007-09-12]

Rev. Baskin-Ball was the preacher/speaker for the "2008 Hopkins Lectures" at First UMC Denton, TX. She was a "Rejebian Lecturer" at Highland Park UMC (Dallas, TX). [cite web
url = http://ntconsole.brickriver.com/files/oUMConnection_Issues_FMXDQI/03_GXE82D2S.14.08.pdf
title = Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball returns to First UMC, Denton as 2008 Hopkins Lecturer, See page 8
publisher = North Texas Conference United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2008-03-14] [cite web
url = http://www.fumc-denton.com/LargeGroup.aspx?Hopkins
title = 2008 Hopkins Lectures at First UMC Denton, TX
publisher = First United Methodist Church of Denton, TX
accessdate = 2007-12-16] [cite web
url = http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/entertainment/dentontime/stories/DRC_Returning_faith_0403.29f4e0f0.html
title = Returning faith: Church’s former pastor comes to First United Methodist to speak
publisher = Denton Record-Chronicle
accessdate = 2008-04-03]

Rev. Baskin-Ball has preached at a number of clergy events. In early 2009, she will preach at a clergy retreat for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the UMC. [cite web
url = http://www.epaumc.org/NewsDetails.asp?pageID=2140
title = Mid-Winter Retreat
publisher = Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the UMC
accessdate = 2007-02-16]

In 2007, Rev. Baskin-Ball received the "Award of Excellence in Word and Worship". It was presented by Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. [cite web
url = http://www.suncreekumc.org/contacts/photogallery/DMN_allen_neighbors_8_07.pdf
title = Pastor Honored at Several Summer Events
publisher = Dallas Morning News
accessdate = 2007-08-18]

"(See links to video of sermons in External Links listing below.)"

Other Content of Interest

Rev. Baskin-Ball was elected as "Chair" of the "Ministry and Higher Education Legislation Committee" for the 2008 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. [cite web
url = http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-relbriefs_26met.ART.West.Edition1.46894d9.html
title = Baskin-Ball chairing key committee at UMC's General Conference
publisher = Dallas Morning News
accessdate = 2008-04-25] [cite web
url = http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.4045981/k.F9A0/Legislative_Process.htm
title = Legislative Process
publisher = United Methodist Church
accessdate = 2008-04-25]

Rev. Baskin-Ball was named "Best Pastor" in Collin County in the 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards sponsored by "Star Community Newspapers". [cite web
url = http://www.suncreekumc.org/contacts/bios.html
title = Best Pastor
publisher = Star Community Newspapers
accessdate = 2007-12-16]

In mid-1989, Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball was appointed to start a new Hispanic church in West Dallas. The location was a very impoverished neighborhood that the "Dallas Morning News" called one of the poorest in the nation with “adjusted per capita income” less than “poverty-stricken Mexico.” She knew little Spanish so she took an intensive 5-week Spanish course in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She lived in the community and went door to door to start the church. A vibrant multi-ethnic congregation was formed with predominately Hispanic and African American members. Rev. Baskin-Ball preached on Sundays in both English and Spanish. They grew to a membership of 130 and were constituted as a United Methodist Church in April 1994. [cite web
url = http://www.wesleyrankin.org/Community/Community.html
title = West Dallas Community
publisher = Wesley-Rankin Community Center
accessdate = 2007-09-10] [cite web
url = http://www.wesleyrankin.org/History/Timeline.html
title = Wesley-Rankin Historic Events Timeline (see 1989)
publisher = Wesley-Rankin Community Center
accessdate = 2007-09-10] In 2008, she was awarded the "Hattie Rankin Moore Leadership Award" by Wesley-Rankin Community Center to recognize work and leadership within the community of West Dallas. [cite web
url = http://www.wesleyrankin.org/Special_Events/Luncheon1.html
title = Hattie Rankin Moore Leadership Award
publisher = Wesley-Rankin Community Center
accessdate = 2008-04-02]

Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball is one of the four founders of Perkins School of Youth Ministry (est. 1998), a national training event for youth ministers. [cite web
url = http://smu.edu/theology/public_progs/PSYM/psym.html
title = Perkins School of Youth Ministry
publisher = Perkins School of Theology
accessdate = 2008-01-16]

See also

*Ordination of women
*Stained-glass ceiling

References

External links

* [http://www.SuncreekUMC.org/contacts/bios.html Biography on Suncreek UMC website]
* [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-baskinball_21met.ART.North.Edition1.42acead.html Dallas Morning News Article -Saturday, April 21, 2007]
* [http://www.wfaa.com/video/index.html?nvid=134191 Channel 8 TV News (WFAA Dallas- ABC) Story - April 8, 2007]
* [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-methodists_09met.ART.South.Edition1.439b3e6.html Dallas Morning News Article -Saturday, June 9, 2007]
* [http://www.gcsrw.org/the_flyer/flyer_archives/2007_JFM_Flyer.pdf "Women Worth Watching" Article on page 12 in the January-March Edition of "The Flyer" a publication of the "General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church".]
* [http://www.aglorybe.com/clergywomen_large_church_.html "Growing Churches Led by Clergywomen"]
* [http://ntconsole.brickriver.com/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/Ballots_Final_BPNMPH3G.pdf "North Texas Conference 2008 Delegate Elections"]
* [http://media.umcom.org/umns/20070719_youth2007/kathleel.asx Video Clip of Preaching at Youth 2007 - July 14, 2007]
* [http://www.fumc-denton.com/sermons/BB_Sermon_06Apr08_Kathleen.wmv Video of Sermon at First United Methodist Church of Denton- April 6, 2008]