Rev. Faiana Sofia Prescott-Funaki migrated from the smallest Kingdom in the world, the Kingdom of Tonga, in 1988.  She is a lifelong Christian rooted in faith and grateful to her parents for creating the foundation for her Christian faith.  Her ministry is woven into the sacred rhythms of communal life, where God is known through fellowship, service, and deep compassion.  She is passionate about lifting voices from the margins, nurturing intergenerational discipleship, and creating spaces where God’s people can grow in love, grace, and courage.  Ministry is not only a vocation for Faiana—it is a journey of deep listening, radical hospitality, and Spirit-led action. She believes God meets us in our most ordinary and extraordinary moments.

She is an Ordained Elder of the Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.  She currently serves as the Associate Pastor of Community Engagement and Mission at Wm. C. Martin United Methodist Church in Bedford, Texas.  Faiana holds an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Christian Studies.  She earned her Master of Divinity at Perkins, SMU, in May 2022.  She and her husband Moala have a seven-year-old daughter named Malia-Grace. They also have a a Japanese Chin dog named Eva-Diva.

Faiana is passionate about helping others find their purpose in life, mission, and leadership.  She remains committed to the work of transformation—within her, the Church, and in the world God so loves. She enjoys dancing, reading, listening to music, nature/outdoors, knitting, and hearing and sharing life stories. 

Rev. Karyl Patredis currently serves as the Pastor of Modern Worship and Outreach at Grace Avenue United Methodist Church in Frisco, Texas, where she has the honor of helping create spaces of connection, justice, and belonging. Her ministry is rooted in compassion and a deep belief that church should be the most inclusive and life-giving place on earth. She is especially passionate about thoughtful scripture interpretation, creating community that feels like family, and reminding folks that God’s grace is wider than we imagine.  

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University and is an Aggie to the core. Each fall, she watches Aggie football with a heart full of hope that inevitably gets crushed. She also earned a Master of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business from the University of Dallas before following a call to ministry, completing her Master of Divinity at Southern Methodist University. 

Karyl lives in Frisco with her husband Jon, two kids, Preston (10) and Charlotte (7), dog, Tillie, and cat, Stella. When she’s not at church, you’ll find her sewing, exploring the world of quilting, or buried in glitter.

Rev. Tomeca Richardson is the senior pastor of McMillan and Morningside UMC in Fort Worth. She received her undergraduate degree from Paul Quinn College, a Master of Divinity and is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry at Brite Divinity School at TCU.  She is a native of Fort Worth.

She served as a volunteer writing instructor at the local federal correctional facility for women for seven years.  With over twenty years of outreach and eleven years of pastoral ministry she has served in multiple agencies both inside and outside of the local church.

Tomeca is the author of a very transformative book entitled: Hoochie to Holy: The Process of Sanctification.  Her words will draw you into the story until the very end.  Her creative storytelling style of preaching is reflective and dramatic.  She relates the ancient text to our contemporary lives and allows us to remember that God is full of grace and mercy, then and now. 

Anna brings a deep passion for the ministry of the UMC and a heart for service, recently celebrating her approval for commissioning as a provisional deacon in the United Methodist Church. Anna is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Leadership with a minor in Religious Studies. She then continued her theological education at SMU Perkins School of Theology, earning a Master of Arts in Ministry. 

As a layperson Anna has served in a variety of ministry settings including the local church, missions non-profit U.M. ARMY, and the Texas Wesley campus ministry. As she begins her first pastoral appointment as a provisional deacon, Anna will be headed to First United Methodist Belton where she will serve as an associate pastor. In addition,  Anna will be stepping into the role of Executive Director of the Belton United Wesley, an ecumenical campus ministry serving the students of Mary Hardin Baylor University, where she will continue her dedication to campus ministry and spiritual formation for young adults.

Anna currently resides in Austin, TX. Outside of her work in ministry Anna loves to spend time outside playing sports with friends, have movie nights with her cat Mei, and hosting board game nights at her house.

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Rev. Martha Patricia Valencia is an Ordained Elder in the Horizon Texas Conference. She is currently in her 8th year of serving as Senior Pastor at Elmwood-El Buen Samaritano UMC in Dallas. In May of 2026 she will graduate with a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and Leading from Asbury Theological Seminary. She received a Master of Church Ministries with an emphasis in Urban Ministry, in 2009, and a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Pastoral Care, in 2013. Both were from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

In the former North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Valencia served as a hospital Chaplain at Parkland Health & Hospital System. She served as Worship Director at Christ's Foundry United Methodist Mission, the largest Hispanic congregation in the UMC. Both were in Dallas.

Martha was born and raised in Dallas, TX. She is committed to & passionate about working with Hispanic-Latino and Immigrant communities in her hometown. 

La Rev. Martha Patricia Valencia es una Anciana Ordenada en la Conferencia Horizonte de Texas. Actualmente está en su octavo año de desempeñar el cargo de Pastora Principal en Elmwood-El Buen Samaritano UMC en Dallas. En mayo de 2026 se graduará con un Doctorado de Ministerio en Predicación y Liderazgo del Seminario Teológico de Asbury. Recibió una Maestría de Ministerios de la Iglesia con énfasis en Ministerio Urbano, en 2009 y una Maestría de Divinidad con énfasis en Cuidado Pastoral, en 2013. Ambas son de la Escuela de Teología Perkins en Southern Methodist University.

En la antigua Conferencia de la Iglesia Metodista Unida de Texas del Norte, Rev. Valencia sirvió como capellán hospitalario en Parkland Health & Hospital System. Ella sirvió como Directora de Adoración en la Misión Metodista Unida La Fundición de Cristo, la mayor congregación hispana en la IMU. Ambos estáņ en Dallas.

Martha nació y se crió en Dallas, TX. Está comprometida con y apasionada por trabajar con las comunidades hispanolatinas e inmigrantes en su ciudad natal.

Rev. Rosedanny Ortiz has just become the new senior pastor for Agape Memorial UMC in Dallas as of July 1st. For sure, her vibrant faith, preaching and worship leadership gifts will bring a dynamic spirit to the worship experience of her new church. She transitioned from being an associate pastor at Spring Valley UMC in Dallas, and was the senior pastor at Casa Linda UMC from 2020 until it closed in January 2022.  

She is a local pastor in The UMC with a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at SMU and a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Rosedanny is passionate about racial justice, finding new ways to connect with the community, working on unity and diversity, and leading to creating a multicultural space for all to worship the God of all.

Rosedanny and her husband Luis have two daughters, Sofía and Adriana, and a son, Daniel. They enjoy evenings in the backyard, movies, cooking, and spending quality time with their kids.