The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mellette has been the lead pastor of Oak Park UMC for the past decade. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Methodist College in 1997, specializing in piano and vocal performance. In 2005, after 14 years of music ministry, Jonathan answered a gentle yet persistent call to pastoral ministry. In 2009, he received a Master of Divinity degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. In 2012, Jonathan became the first student to graduate from SMU with a Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching and Worship. In 2016 he was named as a Fellow in the Fellowship in Pastoral Leadership for Public Life at Austin Presbyterian Seminary and completed the program in 2017.
Jonathan is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and a member in full connection of the Central Texas Conference. He describes his call to ministry as "centered in worship and focused on preaching."
Jonathan loves the works of C. S. Lewis, bowling, all things Star Trek, audiobooks, writing, photography, and LEGO – not necessarily in that order. He lives in Temple, Texas with his wife Sheryl. He has two grown children, Matthew and Grace; three grown stepsons, Brennan, Connor, and Dylan; and their beloved Boston Terriers, who will never grow up, Julius and Sophie.
Misti Bedford, our church Administrator, doesn't just make the church work, she makes our pastor work!
Misti attended University of Houston and Rice University majoring in Chemical and Civil Engineering. She has been a member of Oak Park UMC for almost 10 years, and has served as the church administrator for most of that. Additionally, and equally important, she is the church's treasurer, which means she balances the budget and signs all the checks!
Misti loves to read, engage in retail therapy, and watch various TV series. She and her mother live in Temple with their Yorkie, Wookie. (And he's every bit as loud as Chewbacca, just a little higher pitched and a quite a bit smaller.)
For Misti, Oak Park UMC isn't just a job, it's family and home. She hopes that it can be your family and home, too.
Heather Davis has been a member of Oak Park United Methodist Church for close to 25 years and has been the music leader for 22 of those years. She graduated from Baylor University in 2001, with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She is in her 24th year of teaching music and 23 of those years have been at Southwest Elementary in Belton.
While at Baylor, Heather was a member of the A Capella choir, The Baylor “21” (a recruiting ensemble for the School of Church Music), the Opera Workshop, as well as taking voice lessons. She thought she wanted to be an opera singer when she grew up! However, she found that sharing the joy of music and singing with children was her love.
Mrs. Davis and her husband, Eric, got married at Oak Park. They have raised two amazing boys, Kal-el and Nicholas, who are both grown. They also have three dogs, Krypto, Maverick, and Eevee, and a cat, Lily Stargazer, so they don’t really qualify as “empty nesters”.
When she’s not working, Heather loves to go thrifting /antiquing, watch movies, enjoy time with her family and friends, and eat Mexican food. Fun fact, Heather is a huge Wonder Woman fan and was thrilled to meet, Lynda Carter at one of her concerts.
Heather loves Jesus and serving others. For her, Oak Park United Methodist Church is a loving, accepting, and loyal family that supports its members and community. She welcomes you to visit and prays you’ll make Oak Park UMC your “forever “church home.
Jeff Arnold grew up on a farm near Kankakee, Illinois and attended the United Methodist Church in Donovan, Illinois. He received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the University of Illinois in Agricultural Engineering, and a PhD from Purdue University in 1992. For the last 40 years, his work as a scientist for USDA has focused on sustainability and conservation of our nation's natural resources.
Jeff and his wife, Jill, have been members of Oak Park (and previously 7th street UMC) since 1992. Their children, Morgan and Steven, were both raised at Oak Park and active in the youth group. Over the last 20 years, Jeff has served on the finance and SPRC committees, and is currently the Chair of the Administrative Board.
Jeff enjoys golfing and travel, but his favorite pastime is spending time with his six grandchildren -- Jonathan, Jensen, Mason, Lincoln, Caitlin, and Colton.
Judit Hamm was born and raised in Hungary, where she graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree in English Education. She is nearing the completion of her second bachelor's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Judit moved to the United States, where she met her future husband. He joined the army, which eventually brought them to Texas—a place they came to call home. They shared nearly 19 years of marriage before his unexpected passing.
For the past 12 years, Judit has been employed at Baylor Scott & White. She is a proud mother to her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Winter Katherine, who is the light of her life.
Judit and Winter Katherine enjoy spending time with their two Boston Terriers, Obie and Lujza.
For Judit and her daughter, Oak Park UMC is far more than just a place of employment. They were welcomed with open arms by its community, and Oak Park has become an extension of their family and a home away from home. Judit looks forward to welcoming you, your children, and even your grandchildren soon!
