Texas Methodist Foundation

One of our greatest assets is our talented staff. Our stewardship consultants possess a strong background in church leadership and a deep commitment to helping United Methodist individuals and churches secure resources for ministry through a wealth of experience. You can contact each one by their respective email address or by calling 1-800-933-5502 toll free.

Stewardship Consultants
Melvin Amerson
Jeff Campbell
Ed Engleking
James Varner
Dick Young

Melvin Amerson
Stewardship Consultant
The Rev. Melvin Amerson, author of Stewardship in African-American Churches. brings a wealth of knowledge gleaned as a United Methodist pastor and an active participant in the Texas Annual Conference to his work as a development officer for the Texas Methodist Foundation. His experience allows him to adeptly guide churches and individuals throughout the state as they learn about the Foundation’s services. “My appointment to the Texas Methodist Foundation falls perfectly within my passion and call to ministry. Pastoring for the past seven years, specifically in African-American congregations, has prepared me to assist other United Methodists in Texas as they utilize the Foundation’s services to expand and enrich Christian ministries,” Amerson said. Amerson’s most recent pastoral appointment was with First United Methodist Church in College Station where he led a progressive relocation and building campaign that resulted in a new worship center. While serving as pastor of St. Lo United Methodist Church (now Norris Chapel UMC) in Houston, he was honored with the Small Membership Church Pastor of the Year Award for his leadership in increasing membership and the development of exemplary social programs benefiting the surrounding community. Amerson currently serves as chair of the Division of Stewardship of the Texas Annual Conference. As an Ordained Elder within the Texas Annual Conference, he serves on the Evangelism Committee as District Chairperson. He is also a member of the Stewardship Committee, the Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Council on Ministry, and serves on the District Church Task Force.
mamerson@tmf-fdn.org

Jeff Campbell
Stewardship Consultant
Offering a viewpoint only extensive experience can bring, Jeff Campbell believes providing stewardship services is about much more than mere fundraising. He believes nurturing the local church year after year with the support and guidance required to grow healthy congregations is a vital part of his role as a stewardship consultant for the Texas Methodist Foundation. “All the experience I’ve gained helping churches fulfill their visions for ministry brings depth to what I can offer United Methodist churches today,” Campbell said. “I’ve found it to be very satisfying and rewarding to see so many churches achieve their goals.” As a former pastor who served churches in San Antonio and Houston for more than 17 years, Campbell worked with his own congregations on many successful capital campaigns and building projects. He took this on-the-job expertise and transformed it into an 18-year career with Resource Services, Inc., a nationally recognized stewardship consulting firm, that resulted in his promotion to the position of vice president. Working extensively with United Methodist congregations, he conducted more than 170 stewardship programs. More than 90 of those successful campaigns resulted in commitments surpassing $1 million.
jcampbell@tmf-fdn.org

Back to Top

Ed Engleking
Stewardship Consultant
Ed Engleking's extensive experience in business, consulting and United Methodist Church leadership brings a valued perspective to the Texas Methodist Foundation. His long career in the private sector has equipped him with skills in negotiation, personnel administration, operations and financial management and analysis. As a layperson, Engleking has lent his talents to leadership roles in the areas of stewardship, finance, staff-parish relations, administrative board, worship committee, youth ministry, Stephen Ministry and Walk to Emmaus. The combination of his business acumen and leadership ability makes him an excellent resource. Engleking is able to draw on his collective experiences and offer insightful guidance to churches desiring to embrace principles of Christian stewardship. Through capital campaigns and consulting, he helps churches to first visualize the possibilities that can be achieved through stewardship and then to discover creative and effective ways in which to respond.
eengleking@tmf-fdn.org

Back to Top

James Varner
Vice President of Stewardship Services
In June of 1998, James Varner joined the Texas Methodist Foundation stewardship staff. It would be difficult to find anyone with more experience in working with large church campaigns than Varner. Before joining the Foundation, he served as a senior vice president for Resource Services, Inc., a stewardship consulting firm. In his eighteen years at RSI, Varner conducted more than 140 stewardship programs. These programs included more than 70 campaigns in which the commitments surpassed a million dollars. In addition to his unequivocal experience, Varner's breadth of knowledge, combined with his warmth and humor, assures congregations that they can meet the challenges that lay before them. A background which includes working with local church ministries, different denominations, interfaith groups, and community service organizations has equipped Varner with a keen sense of the forces that bring people together to achieve a common goal.
jvarner@tmf-fdn.org

Back to Top

Dick Young
Stewardship Consultant
More than twenty years of combined experience in business and lay leadership make Dick Young a valuable advisor to United Methodist churches. Young possesses the ability and knowledge to help congregations identify their funding needs and design stewardship strategies to fulfill their missions. His career in the private sector as the president of his own company has equipped Young with skills in financial management, operations, personnel administration, and negotiation. As a layperson, he has served as chair of the finance, property, and building committees at First United Methodist Church in Austin, where he has been a member for 25 years. Young also worked as the church's stewardship director for their 1999 capital campaign in which they raised $2.2 million. He views his work at the Foundation as an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives by promoting the greater good of the denomination and advancing Christian ministry.
dyoung@tmf-fdn.org

Back to Top