Specialists
Erik Henson
I am a lifelong follower of Christ, cradle Methodist, husband, father, musician, teacher, bookworm, and all-around nerd for telling stories through media. My fundamental aim on Sunday morning is to let absolutely everyone who comes through our doors know that they are welcomed, wanted, and loved, and there is nothing they can do about it. My goal in working with volunteers and small group members is to remind us that we are disciples who are called to make new disciples, and there is much we can do about it. I am passionate not only about answering my personal call to ministry but equipping others to answer their call to active discipleship too.
The bulk of my time in music ministries has been spent working with praise bands, and students, however I have also spent plenty of time directing instrumental ensembles and choirs. I have experience leading both traditional and contemporary styles of services and have been part of a team that launched a great Spanish language service. Music ministry is about using music as a mode of ministering first to the leaders on our teams and allowing those leaders to minister to our congregations.
Rev. Mark McClanahan
From the time I was a teenager I have led small groups and congregational singing with my guitar. My experience includes Sunday service, VBS, summer camp, preschool chapel,
nursing homes, praise bands and some choir. In addition to singing, I play acoustic and bass guitar. I have served Longview, Greggton UMC, Linden UMC, Van UMC, Normangee, First UMC and Flynn UMC.
Rev. Luis Ramirez
Pastor Luis was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma and raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He is a graduate of the Moores School of Music and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston where he studied Opera Performance, Italian and Spanish. He received his Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Pastor Luis has been active in ministry and in the community through Walk to Emmaus, Kairos Prison Ministry International, United Way, Meals on Wheels, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, SHSU Charter School, UPWARD™ Soccer, Spring ISD Ministerial Alliance, Northwest Area Assistance Ministries and UM ARMY.
In the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, he has served as the Founding Pastor of Misión Milby UMC in Houston, as the Associate Pastor at Servants of Christ UM Parish, also in Houston, and Cedar Bayou Grace UMC in Baytown, and as the Senior Pastor of Cypress Trails UMC in Spring.
While at Cypress Trails UMC, Pastor Luis led a Change Management process that emphasized Community Engagement and Outreach. Over a period of six years, the Church’s congregation accurately mirrored its multiethnic community Demographics. This process included the transformation of the Music Ministries in style and multigenerational engagement, charismatic Preaching, and an emphasis on fruitful Stewardship.
Pastor Luis spurred Cypress Trails UMC’s Revitalization through Fundraising. In six years, he helped raise over $500,000 inclusive of grants, individual gifts, bequests, corporate support and building rental revenue. This caused the Church to reengage its Vision and develop Mission Strategies for reaching the neighborhood.
Pastor Luis has been involved in Clergy Mentorship as a mentor to the Conference’s Exploring Candidates for ordained ministry. He has also mentored the Associate Pastors, Lay Ministers and Staff members under his leadership throughout his ministerial career.
Currently, Pastor Luis lives in Baytown with his wife, Heather, their daughter, Isabella, and their dog, Luna, where he serves as the Senior Pastor of Cedar Bayou Grace UMC
Rev. Cletis Rogers, II
- Intro to basic worship theology
- Building a contemporary worship band
- Generally speaking, I’ve spent the last 15 years serving in diverse youth ministry contexts, and within that, I also served on staff positions that included worship-leadership and audio-video. I would never ever put myself as the first/best option, but I absolutely love the local church and many of these techno/youthy aspects get overlooked or taken for granted in small church contexts, so I would of course love to be of service to help new ministries get started, or old equipment get utilized in new ways (etc.)!