OUTREACH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Student Ministries
Anna currently is the choir director at MacArthur High School and has been a high school choir director and private voice teacher for over 15 years. She has served as Fine Arts Director at Big Spring Independent School District, her alma mater, head choir director for the Big Spring High School choir, and head choir director of both East Central High School and also Edgewood Fine Arts Academy. Also before San Antonio she worked at the largest choir program in Texas at Allen High School.
She has a degree in vocal performance from Lubbock Christian University and an M.S. in music/choral conducting from UTSA. Anna also worked as choir director at First United Methodist Church Lewisville and Big Spring FUMC for many years before moving to SA. She also sings jazz on the side and is a big supporter of San Antonio culture and music.
Anna has a wonderful husband, Ben, and two kids, Chandler 6 and Ellanor 4, all of which are the joy of her life. Anna is a frequent adjudicator for Texas UIL competitions as well as ICHSA and ICCA. Professional memberships include TMEA, TCDA, ACDA and TMAA.
I am from Bastrop, located about 30 miles east of Austin. I received a Computer Science degree from Texas A&M and I worked in the computer industry as a software engineer for 13 years before I was called into full time ministry. My wife, Christi, and I have two daughters. Abby is my oldest and she works at Amazon. My youngest daughter, Emma, attends Tarleton State in Stephenville. She majors in Public Health. Christi is the Director of Human Resources at the ButterKrust bakery and we have been married over 25 years.
My hobbies are woodworking and playing guitar. I like teaching and I like getting to know people because there are so many interesting stories to hear. I love to worship God and I love to laugh. Joy is a big part of a life with Jesus and it is something I truly appreciate.
In ministry, I have always been very active in mission and outreach. I am on the board of a fostering agency called EmberHope Youthville. I work with a prison ministry called Kairos which serves the Torres Unit in Hondo, Tx. In previous churches, I have helped start a food pantry and I have run an addiction recovery ministry. I believe God's call on our lives pushes us to be ministry with those who are hurting. Matthew 25 tell us to welcome the stranger, visit the imprisoned and help those we see who are in need. As we do these things, we learn to see Christ and become closer to Him.
Diana came to work at St. Matthew's on November 17, 2014, bringing a new enthusiasm to the secretary position. In addition, she added bi-lingual capability to the front office. Diana was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and moved to San Antonio in 1983. She graduated from Highlands High School in 1997. In 2005, Diana married Albert Garza and together they have blossomed a family of three children. Diana and Albert enjoy taking family trips and spending time with each other.
Job Titles:
- Director of Music Ministries
I am a native San Antonian and received my Bachelor's in Music Theory & Composition from the University of Texas at San Antonio, with extra coursework and mentoring in vocal performance, choral directing and sacred music, including conducting with Dr. John J. Silantien. Music ministry has been a great joy, from my early days as a choral scholar to directing multiple church ensembles in various styles of worship, including chant, motets, anthems, oratorios, hymns, spirituals, Gospel Jazz mass settings, Spanish and Flamenco masses, and Contemporary Praise & Worship.
My wife and fellow musician, Tawni, and I have 4 children (3 sons and 1 daughter) ages 13 - 34; two fresh puppies, a squirrel, and a fish; several basses and guitars, a plethora of percussion instruments, a drum kit, a piano, two keyboards, a small djembe, porch wind chimes, but no kazoos and sadly, no didgeridoo (yet).
Job Titles:
- Pastor of Outreach and Pastoral Care
St. Matt's is a great church in so many ways! It's a joy to serve here with the Staff, Volunteers, and Congregation. I'd like you to know a bit about me:
I'm actually a Mac graduate - so I'm working just down the street from Mac in very, very familiar territory. Born in SA, I attended NEISD schools and graduated from Trinity University. For many years, I practiced as a CPA, raising my kids, serving actively in my church, and participating as a volunteer at the Witte Museum. We lived close to my parents and former inlaws, and together we were an extended family group.
My call to ordained ministry came as quite a surprise to me, and I resisted it for a long time. I did not have a vision for a new, changed life, but God surely did. After many months, I tentatively agreed and began seminary - for one year in my mind. Then we'd see . . . .
We did see, and I returned for 2 more years at Austin Presbyterian Seminary, just on the border of the UT-Austin campus in mid-town Austin. As you may guess, it was the right decision, and I can't imagine returning to the financial world!
I've served churches in our Rio Texas Conference and its predecessor, the Southwest Texas Conference, along with in the Virginia Conference. I've served very large churches and very small ones. I've worked in the diverse areas of Education, Outreach, Mission, and Evangelism. Of course, I always work in Worship.
Job Titles:
- Director of Children & Family Ministries
Tiffany Harkey was born In Lubbock, Texas as the daughter in a family of six and the youngest child of four. Her roots were established as a young child in the Methodist Church as she began her journey through life leading her to live in Virginia, Florida and then back to her native home state of Texas. In her early thirties she began to long for something more in life than she was finding in this earthly realm. She was then baptized, born again and began to feel a deep calling on her life to become a disciple of Jesus.
She is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio and has a degree in Psychology. Her work history includes being a manager of operations of a medical diagnostic company, manager of operations of a property management company and teacher with a transitional kindergarten program for a Christian church in Boerne, Texas.
She is a proud mother of three beautiful children Aidon, Mia and Christian. She is devoted to teaching her children and the children of Saint Matthews UMC the importance of having a God centered life. She understands the value of teaching them how important it is to understand the fundamental teaching of Gods Word and the absolute unconditional love of Jesus! In her past time she enjoys bible studies, research and U-tube sermons of various Christian teachers.
Job Titles:
- Pastor of Hispanic Ministries
Veronica was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and lived in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila most of her life. She is an ordained elder in the Methodist Church of Mexico and graduated from John Wesley Seminary. She also received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Coahuila. Veronica was a member of the San Pablo Methodist Church in Piedras Negras for nearly 17 years where she served as Director of Evangelism and Missions and on the church board. She also assisted with a church plant in her district for 5 years and led Bible study groups for women on both sides of the border for more than a decade.
In 2012, Veronica and her husband Jeff founded "Bridges of Compassion," an evangelical service ministry dedicated to helping the under privileged in Piedras Negras in which they continue to serve actively. Jeff and Veronica came to San Antonio with beautiful 16-year old daughter Keren in September of 2014.