Our Staff....
Rev. G. Todd Williams, MDiv.
A native of Spencer, Indiana, via "Rattlesnake Holler" (Yes, a real place!), Rev. Williams is a graduate of Indiana University, and received his Masters of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Before becoming First Christian's Senior Pastor, Rev. Williams served as both a youth pastor at the Salem First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Salem, Indiana, and Douglass Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Louisville, Kentucky. Additionally, he served the Alvin (Texas) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) before joining New Church Development with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Coastal Plains Area, where he was a church planter and served New Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Houston, Texas.
While serving New Covenant, Rev. Williams was awarded the Todd Brakovitch Peace Fellowship Award by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Peace Fellowship.
Besides congregational ministry, Rev. Williams also successfully completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, Kentucky, and a yearlong fellowship at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. While serving as a chaplain with the Memorial Hermann Hospital System, Houston, Texas, Rev. Williams was selected to be the chaplain serving the new Heart and Vascular Institute.
His life took a dramatic turn in March, 2008, when he was in a car wreck that revealed that he had the beginning stages of cancer. Over the next year, his life would encounter many changes. In December, 2009, after treatment, the loss of his job, and finding himself at what he considered, "the end," his doctor shared, "I think you're going to live."
"I discovered that dying is easy.... LIVING is HARD." In March, 2011, while still recovering, the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) called Rev. Williams to serve as their pastor.
"I can honestly say, I understand. I feel that as a pastor, I can't help but understand what it means to face the challenges of today head on. When I learned that I had cancer I simply wanted two things, one, to see my daughter graduate from high school, and two, to see her fall in love for the first time. As a father of two children, Emily a second-year student at A & M in Corpus Christi, and Brad, a Sophomore at Spanish Fork High School, Spanish Fork, Utah, all I could think about was 'what will their life be like without me?'"
"To compound things, I lost my job and home due to my illness. Before I realized it, I was facing the same challenge that so many of those who I had served who were homeless. Simply put, it only takes one illness, or one job loss, to change an entire family's life."
"Today's world has changed, and there are no guarantees. At some point, I even began to understand why people loose their faith. Often I found myself even wondering if my prayers were being heard. That's when Luke, Chapter 5, began to play out in my life. I fully became aware of what it meant to be the one 'paralyzed' by the things of this world, and the friends (my family), were the ones continually bringing me to the footstool of Christ. No matter WHAT they may encounter. Whether that be an incredible list of 'have-to's' in order to get medication, treatment, or simply find a way to get me to look at things differently."
"What I try to share each week in service is that we are living in Ecclesiastical times. There is a time and a place for all things. Each one of us are faced with amazing challenges each day, whether it be our health, our jobs, or simply the things that we impose upon ourselves."
Rev. Williams, besides being a father of two who enjoys photography (many of the photos on this site, as well as, our facebook page have been taken by Rev. Williams), he is also a musician, artist, and writer (Let Us Pray: Reformed Prayers for Christian Worship, Amazon.com).
"I hope that you will come and visit us at First..."
Before becoming First Christian's Senior Pastor, Rev. Williams served as both a youth pastor at the Salem First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Salem, Indiana, and Douglass Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Louisville, Kentucky. Additionally, he served the Alvin (Texas) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) before joining New Church Development with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Coastal Plains Area, where he was a church planter and served New Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Houston, Texas.
While serving New Covenant, Rev. Williams was awarded the Todd Brakovitch Peace Fellowship Award by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Peace Fellowship.
Besides congregational ministry, Rev. Williams also successfully completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, Kentucky, and a yearlong fellowship at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. While serving as a chaplain with the Memorial Hermann Hospital System, Houston, Texas, Rev. Williams was selected to be the chaplain serving the new Heart and Vascular Institute.
His life took a dramatic turn in March, 2008, when he was in a car wreck that revealed that he had the beginning stages of cancer. Over the next year, his life would encounter many changes. In December, 2009, after treatment, the loss of his job, and finding himself at what he considered, "the end," his doctor shared, "I think you're going to live."
"I discovered that dying is easy.... LIVING is HARD." In March, 2011, while still recovering, the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) called Rev. Williams to serve as their pastor.
"I can honestly say, I understand. I feel that as a pastor, I can't help but understand what it means to face the challenges of today head on. When I learned that I had cancer I simply wanted two things, one, to see my daughter graduate from high school, and two, to see her fall in love for the first time. As a father of two children, Emily a second-year student at A & M in Corpus Christi, and Brad, a Sophomore at Spanish Fork High School, Spanish Fork, Utah, all I could think about was 'what will their life be like without me?'"
"To compound things, I lost my job and home due to my illness. Before I realized it, I was facing the same challenge that so many of those who I had served who were homeless. Simply put, it only takes one illness, or one job loss, to change an entire family's life."
"Today's world has changed, and there are no guarantees. At some point, I even began to understand why people loose their faith. Often I found myself even wondering if my prayers were being heard. That's when Luke, Chapter 5, began to play out in my life. I fully became aware of what it meant to be the one 'paralyzed' by the things of this world, and the friends (my family), were the ones continually bringing me to the footstool of Christ. No matter WHAT they may encounter. Whether that be an incredible list of 'have-to's' in order to get medication, treatment, or simply find a way to get me to look at things differently."
"What I try to share each week in service is that we are living in Ecclesiastical times. There is a time and a place for all things. Each one of us are faced with amazing challenges each day, whether it be our health, our jobs, or simply the things that we impose upon ourselves."
Rev. Williams, besides being a father of two who enjoys photography (many of the photos on this site, as well as, our facebook page have been taken by Rev. Williams), he is also a musician, artist, and writer (Let Us Pray: Reformed Prayers for Christian Worship, Amazon.com).
"I hope that you will come and visit us at First..."
Administrative Assistant - Vacant
The office is open Monday - Wednesday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Thursday 9:00 am to Noon. Closed Friday.
You may reach the office by calling 409/945-2241.
You may reach the office by calling 409/945-2241.
Scott Smeltzer, Director of Music
Besides serving as Director of Music at First, Scott also is an educator.
Additionally, Scott teaches both guitar and piano to students of all ages in our community. First is home to Mr. Smeltzer's students during their spring recital. |
Matthew Todd, Pianist
Besides being a classically trained pianist, Matthew owns his own business, Todd Piano Works (http://www.toddpianoworks.com)
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Joe Vasquez, Facilities
Recently retired, Joe has made a new home for himself at First. The facilities at First include the Mission Post, a retreat / training area, that has sleeping bunks for 24, showers, access to a full service kitchen, break out room, fellowship hall, several Sunday School Classrooms, the Chalice House Apartment where Rev. Williams' residence is located, and of course, the Sanctuary. It is a lot to take care of, however, Joe is eager to help whenever an activity or issue arises.
