SCOTT GILLILAND

Scott Gilliland

Senior Pastor

Scott was born in Ft. Worth and raised in Bedford, TX. He grew up in an incredibly diverse community, graduating from Euless Trinity High School, where 40+ languages were spoken on campus. He learned early on to try to see the world through the eyes of different ethnicities, cultures, and faiths, and to always be willing to ask hard questions and hold difficult dialogues.

He attended The University of North Texas where he majored in English. He worked at his home church of W.C. Martin UMC in Bedford throughout college, and for 18 months after graduation he served as the Youth Ministry Director.

In 2010, Scott joined Lovers Lane UMC in Dallas as the Kids Ministry Associate Director. Over the course of ten years, he and his wife Raegan (whom he met on staff) discerned a call to ordained ministry, enrolled and graduated from Perkins School of Theology at SMU, and were ordained as elders in the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Scott was appointed to serve AUMC as Senior Pastor in July 2020.

He is the co-author of Together, written with his mentor Rev. Dr. Stan Copeland in response to the UMC's ongoing debate regarding inclusion of LGBTQ+ people through marriage and ordination. In Together, they make the biblical case for God’s vision of a Church where truly ALL are welcomed and celebrated in the body of Christ. 

Scott is passionate about teaching the Bible in a way that invites critical thought and convicted spirit, creating community where we can bring our real selves to the table, and leading God's people to find meaning and purpose in our daily living.

Scott and Raegan are the proud parents of Andie Jane and Jude Parker.

KYUNGRAE CHO

Kyungrae love for God and her passion for the church is evident. Kyungrae has earned her Doctorate of Arts in Piano Performance at the University of North Texas. She has a Master of Music in Piano Performance with a Minor in Organ Performance from Western Illinois University. Kyungrae received undergraduate honors from Sook-Myung Woman University in Seoul, Korea. We are so grateful to have Kyungrae, her husband Roy Kim, and kids Ian and Jane as part of our church family. Kyungrae joined our staff in July 2018.

MARC CORAZAO

MARC CORAZAO
TREASURER

Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Houston, Texas, Marc has been serving in the North Texas Conference since 1996 in various capacities and ministry positions. He has a BA in Counseling Psychology from Southwestern University and a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. Marc loves working with numbers and helping support people doing Jesus-y work. Married to Michelle in July of 1997, Marc and his wife have been partners in life and ministry together. He and Michelle lovingly welcomed their son, Ian Michael, into the world in May of 2011. Their family is also blessed and complicated by their tabby cat, Aslan. In his down time, Marc likes spending time with his family, riding bikes, reading a bunch, writing, playing guitar & ukulele, and cooking. And eating. Marc really loves eating.

AARON MANES

Director of Online Ministries and Spiritual Engagement

Aaron Manes is first a huge fan of music and this love led him from his home state of Texas to Nashville, Tennessee where he began his early career in music. Having served as as a marketing & content director for global entertainment brands (Warner Music Group and Entertainment One) as well as Grammy and Dove-award winning artists, he has been connecting art and content to faith for over two decades.

In the mid-2000's Aaron's personal faith went through a deconstruction in the midst the early-progressive church movement. This journey has been a part of Aaron's call to Spiritual Direction and leading faithful ragamuffins and pilgrims to find new faith experiences.

Today Aaron is following a call to tell his own story honestly and to recognize and encourage other people to find God in their journey rather than their destination. Aaron is a spiritual director and is also working as a student and faculty member for Enneagram teacher Marion Gilbert. Aaron was fortunate to be a part of the first training certification cohort for The Marion Gilbert Method of the Somatic Enneagram in the US. 

Are you curious about Spiritual Direction? (Click Here)

Aaron@arapahoumc.org

BRITTANY MELROSE

DIRECTOR, SYNERGY WESLEY FOUNDATION

Brittany was born and raised in Dallas, and is a graduate of the University of North Texas and SMU Perkins School of Theology. She is excited to serve in ministry with the awesome students at the University of Texas at Dallas! Her experience includes social justice advocacy, youth ministry, grassroots organizing, and campus ministry at the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. She has also served as a missionary to the Democratic Republic of Congo through the General Board of Global Ministries, and has traveled throughout central and southern Africa through her work as a project coordinator and mission team leader. Brittany is passionate about social justice and working with the marginalized. She loves kayaking, playing guitar and djembe, and traveling.

Brittany@arapahoumc.org

ANNABELLE MILES

Annabelle Miles

Day School Director

Annabelle grew up in a small East Texas town and moved to the Dallas area 18 years ago. She earned her degree and teaching certificate from Texas A&M Commerce. Her over 25 years of experience with children include teaching in public and private elementary schools, preschools and as an administrator. Six years ago, she earned her Director’s Certificate and became the preschool director of a sweet little school that she will always hold dear to her heart. Annabelle comes from a long line of educators and has always known that working with young children is her calling in life.

Annabelle is married to Ryan and they have four children. Their oldest is grown and does his own thing now. Their other children attend elementary school in Richardson ISD. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and singing, (mostly in the car, alone). She also plays the flute and loves music.

Email her at annabelle@arapahoumc.org

CATHY SWEENEY

ASSOC. PASTOR OF ADULT DISCIPLESHIP

Raised in a military family, Cathy claims Culpeper, Virginia as home, though she has lived in many other cities and states, and graduated from high school in Longmont, Colorado.  She made haste as quickly as possible to Texas, relocating to Austin to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a BBA in Accounting. It was in Austin where she met Steve, as they were both members of the "Showband of the Southwest" (The Longhorn Band). They married in 1991 and have lived in Richardson since 1995. They have two children - Shannon, who lives in Boston, and Jack, who is a student at UT in Austin.

Cathy's home church in Richardson is Arapaho, and it was here where she heard her call to ordained ministry. Full time ministry is relatively new to Cathy, as she put to rest her business career as a real estate developer before being commissioned as a Deacon in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She attended Perkins School of Theology and graduated cum laude with her Master of Theological Studies. She was appointed as Associate Pastor of Discipleship at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano, and is active in many ministries with the homeless and those at risk of poverty.

Cathy has been actively involved in non profit work supporting persons experiencing homelessness and poverty. As Assistant Executive Director of Agape Resource & Assistance Center, she worked to provide safe, stable transitional housing and critical support services to homeless women, moms and children that empower them to move from crisis and poverty to fulfilling, self-sustaining lives. Cathy has also served on the originating Leadership Team for the Plano Overnight Warming Station, a program of the Salvation Army of Plano, and is actively involved in several programs that promote racial reconciliation in the DFW area.

Email Cathy

JUDY SWOPE

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Judy handles the administrative needs of our church from bulk mailings and maintaining data base records to introducing potential members to our church home. This career is an answer to her prayers to be serving God's children through the various activities, meetings and communication that this position allows.

Favorite hobbies include walking, biking and cleaning. Her older brother lives in Lewisville and a younger sister in Arkansas. Family is most important in her life and that includes her Arapaho UMC family. 

Judy@arapahoumc.org