Pastoral Staff

Clergy

Rev. Matt Gaston, Senior Pastor
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Rev. Gaston serves as Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church, beginning January 15, 2007. He served as Senior Pastor of Flower Mound UMC prior to his appointment to First UMC-Denton. During his time there, the church expanded to three worship services, increased its plant size, developed a strong mission identity.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Harvard University and a Masters of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

He serves on a number of District and Conference Committees and Teams – the District Committee on Ministry; Chair of the Conference Creating Congregations Team; and Mentor Pastor.

Rev. Gaston is married to Rev. Cammy Gaston, an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church and the current Campus Minister of the Denton Wesley Foundation, which serves both the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. They have a twelve-year-old son, Blaine.

Together in 1993, Rev. Matt and Rev. Cammy Gaston served as founding pastors of The United Methodist Church of the Disciple in DeSoto, Texas, a cross-cultural congregation in a dramatically changing area, where they developed a blended style of worship, enabled the construction of the church’s first, multi-purpose building, and emphasized medium and long-term studies, such as Disciple Bible Study and Christian Believer.

• First UMC-Denton, Senior Pastor, January 15, 2007 – Present
• Flower Mound UMC,Flower Mound, Tx,Senior Pastor 2002-2007
• UMC of the Disciple, DeSoto, Tx, Founding Pastor w/Rev. Cammy Gaston

• Harvard University, B.A., Economics
• Perkins School of Theology, SMU, M.Div.

• Rev. Cammy Gaston, current campus minister of the Denton Wesley Foundation
• Blaine Gaston, son

Rev. Andrew C. Stoker, Ph.D, Associate Pastor / Youth & Adult Education
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Andy Stoker serves as Associate Pastor for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults. Prior to joining the First UMC-Denton staff in March of 2002, Andy served as minister to youth at Greenland Hills UMC and taught religious studies at St. John's Episcopal School in Dallas. Originally from El Paso, Andy graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor's degree in communication studies, serving as an intern for youth and university students at St. John's UMC in Lubbock and as a student pastor in Longview.

He attended Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in Dallas for his Master's of Divinity degree. While at Perkins, Andy served as the Social Action Chairperson, Perkins Student Association, during 1999-2000 and as President, Perkins Student Association, 2000-2001. Andy recieved his Ph.D. in Family Studies from Texas Women's University in May 2007

He is an active member of the North Texas Conference, where he participates as a member of the Dismantling Racism Team, as a district representative to Conference Council of Youth Ministry (CCYM), and as co-director of a North Texas Conference Junior High Camp. Andy has also been elected to serve as one of the co-conveners for the Spiritual Life Rally (SpiLiRa) in 2005. He is also an endorsed participant, Bridges 2001-2003, Princeton Theological Seminary, Institute of Youth Ministry, as well as a member of the Board of Directors for Interfaith Ministries of Denton.

He is married to Megan, a registered nurse. They have one son, Alexander Callahan Stoker, born in April 3, 2003.

• First UMC-Denton, Associate Pastor, 2002 – Present
• Greenland Hills UMC, Youth Director
• Longview UMC, student pastor
• St. Johns UMC-Lubbock, intern

• Texas Tech University, B.S./Communications Studies
• Perkins School of Theology, M.Div.
• Texas Woman’s University, Ph.D, Family Studies, 2007

• Megan Stoker, wife, a registered nurse
• Alex Stoker, son

Rev. Lisa Marshall, Associate Pastor / Pastoral Care, Worship, & Evangelism
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The Rev. Lisa Marshall began serving as associate pastor for First UMC in Denton on June 15, 2006.

She had been serving at Vista Ridge UMC in Lewisville for the past four years, first as their Minister of Discipleship and for the past 2 ½ years as associate pastor. She also served at Fellowship UMC in Trophy Club as a youth director before going to Lewisville.

Rev. Marshall recently completed a Master of Divinity degree at Perkins School of Theology and was commissioned on the Elder track at Annual Conference on June 5, 2006.She looks forward to completing her residency requirements for ordination at First UMC-Denton. Some of her duties will include evangelism and church planning, pastoral care and support groups, small group ministry, and Sunday School.

She has two sons — David and Drew.

• First UMC-Denton, Associate Pastor, 2006 – Present
• Vista Ridge UMC-Lewisville, Associate Pastor 2004 – 2006
• Vista Ridge UMC-Lewisville, Minister of Discipleship, 2002 – 2004
• Fellowship UMC-Trophy Club, Youth Director

• Perkins School of Theology, M.Div.
• Commissioned to Elder Track on June 5, 2006