Holly Gaskill Bandel has served in local  church ministry for 18 years, including positions  as Senior Pastor, Executive Pastor and Associate Pastor. She grew up in Wylie, TX and received a social work degree from the University of North Texas. She is most passionate about ministry that reaches out and meets the needs of people in the community. Holly received her seminary degree from Duke Divinity School. Her husband Phil  is a TV engineer and they have two sons, Austin and  Jason. Holly is a Duke basketball fan, enjoys reading  and practices yoga.

Rev. Mitchell Boone began as the Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church – Dallas in July of 2022. Mitchell has a proven track record of connecting churches to their communities through spiritual entrepreneurship, innovation, and believing that the Church is at its best when we celebrate that the Spirit is moving in profound ways beyond the walls of our buildings. Mitchell’s passions involve preaching, pastoral care, the future sustainability of faith communities, and finding creative ways to ensure churches are connected to their neighborhoods.

Rev. Boone received his BA in Religion from Hendrix College and his MDiv from The Iliff School of Theology. He is an ordained Elder in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Before being appointed to FirstChurch, he served Lone Oak UMC and White Rock UMC. Mitchell completed a two year fellowship with Hendrix College and the Lilly Foundation focused on Clergy Civic Engagement, a certificate in Spiritual Entrepreneurship with the Columbia University Business School and CLAL, and was awarded the Henry Denman Evangelism Award in 2020. Mitchell proudly serves on the Golden Cross Board of Methodist Health Systems and the Board of Ordained Ministry for the North Texas Annual Conference.

In 2012, Mitchell married Elizabeth VanOort who works at CitySquare as a Senior Director overseeing their AmeriCorps program and organizational education and training. They have two sons, Cashel and Declan, and love living in East Dallas. Mitchell spends too much time watching all the Dallas sports teams, fumbling his way through new baking and bbq recipes, listening to 1310 The Ticket, buying what he claims are good deals on used vinyl records, hiking with the family in our county’s nature preserves, and planning his next trip that requires a passport.

Dana Effler is the Director of Music and Arts Ministries at First United Methodist Church of Dallas where she oversees the graded choir and handbell program, the Rotunda Theatre series, and Goodrich Gallery series.  She conducts the Chancel Choir, First Men’s Chorus, First Women’s Chorus, Vox Nova and the Variations Youth Choir. Under her direction the Chancel Choir has toured to Canada, England, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Scotland and Switzerland and has sung for both Southwestern division and National ACDA conventions. Beyond the church, Dana enjoys her work as a singer, guest conductor and clinician for organizations including ACDA, TCDA, Choristers Guild, AGO and The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from Furman University and master’s degrees in choral conducting and in vocal performance from Southern Methodist University. Dana is inspired and energized by the wealth and diversity of talent represented in the FirstChurch family and is continually amazed at the beauty of God’s creation in and through it.

Tim Effler is the Organist/Associate Director of Music at First United Methodist Church where he serves as organist for all worship services, weddings, and memorial services. Tim also administers the handbell program and directs the Alleluya Ringers and Celebration Ringers. In addition, he serves as accompanist for the Chancel Choir and Variations Youth Choir, and is the co-director of Vox Nova. Tim holds a bachelor’s degree from Furman University in organ performance, and master’s degrees in accompanying/vocal coaching and vocal performance from Southern Methodist University. Tim has served as President of the Greater Dallas Handbell Association and the Executive Board for the Dallas Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Anna Bundy Hagler is the Associate Minister of Connecting Ministries. She is a commissioned deacon in The United Methodist Church and is passionate about helping the church to meet people where they are. Anna has a BS in Communication Studies from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and a Masters of Divinity from Southern Methodist University. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Kyler, and their greyhound mix, Jax.  She loves to find new coffee shops, attempt a round of golf, and read.

The Reverend Joseph Stabile is a Methodist pastor in the North Texas Annual Conference, as well as Co-Founder of Life in the Trinity Ministry, in Dallas, Texas.  Reverend Stabile has served in vocational ministry for forty-five years, with combined experience in spiritual direction, retreat leadership, pastoral care and leadership, and pastoral mentoring.  A former Vincentian priest, Reverend Stabile served as a Dean of Students and seminary professor, as Vocational Director for the Southern Province of the Vincentians.  During his years in the Vincentian priesthood, he was Pastor of several Catholic parishes in Dallas and the Panhandle of Texas.  After fifteen years as a Vincentian priest, Reverend Stabile left the Priesthood in 1987, and in 1989, his Orders were accepted in the United Methodist Church.  Reverend Stabile has served eight different local churches within the North Texas Annual Conference, and has served on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry.  He taught at Perkins School of Theology in the Certification Program for Spiritual Directors.  He holds a Master of Divinity from DeAndreis Institute of Theology in Chicago, and a Master of Languages and Linguistics in Spanish from Universidad Ibero-Americana in Mexico City, Mexico.  Joe lives in Dallas with his wife Suzanne. They have 4 grown children and 9 grandchildren.

Minister Angela Williams has dedicated a 25-year career encouraging young people as a teacher, counselor, and school administrator. Using gifts God gave her as an educator, Minster Williams now encourages people of all ages to live up to their potential in Christ Jesus. Minister Williams was appointed as a Licensed Local Pastor in December 2014. Her joy was guiding the faith and spiritual development of children, youth, and their families. Because of her love for praising God, she occasionally led in worship by singing with the praise team.

Beyond the local church, Minister Williams serves on the North Texas Conference Leadership and Development Committee. Her community involvement includes participation in DeSoto Police and Clergy and serving on the City of DeSoto Domestic Violence Commission. Her service organization is Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., where she is a Diamond Life Member. In August 2019, Minister Williams received her Master of Divinity Degree with honors from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Her additional education includes a Master of Education in School Counseling from Dallas Baptist University, and a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Fashion Merchandising from Paul Quinn College.

In January 2020, the Board of Ordained Ministry approved Minister Williams for Commissioning as an Elder. She was Commissioned at the 2021 Annual Conference of The North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Minister Angela R. Williams is married to Mr. Alvin R. Williams. They are the proud parents of two lovely young ladies, Ambreal Ricole Williams and Allika Roquel Williams of Los Angeles, California.