Welcome to Bear Creek United Methodist Church, Houston TX 77084



More Info, Comments, Questions?

Contact Bear Creek UMC office via email
or by phone - 281.463.2330

BCUMC Staff

To email staff members, please click on their name. To speak with staff members please call 281-463-2330 and if an extension is necessary it is listed in green.

Burt Palmer, Senior Pastor

Burt Palmer, Senior PastorBurt, a native Texan and third generation United Methodist minister, claims Wichita Falls as his hometown. After graduating from Wichita Falls High School, Burt went on to earn degrees from Hendrix College and Duke University Divinity School. In 2000, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. He is married to Shawn and they have two children, Micah and Meagan. He enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.


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Gaylynn Brewer, Early Childhood Ministries Coordinator

Gaylynn Brewer, Early Childhood Ministries CoordinatorGaylynn has been a member of Bear Creek United Methodist Church for over 20 years and has been working at Bear Creek UMC for almost 15 years.


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Meredeth Buchman, Director of Youth Ministries

Meredeth Buchman and her younger brother Grant, were born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa by their parents, Jeff and JuLee Buchman. While growing up, she was active in her local youth group, conference level youth programming, and camping ministries (where she first began to receive her call into ministry). After graduating from high school, she moved across Iowa to attend Cornell College, in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. While at Cornell, Meredeth met the love of her life, Adam Majeski. She graduated from Cornell in 2005 with a BA in Religion and a BA in Psychology. After her undergraduate experience, she decided to answer the call into the ministry and moved to Denver, Colorado, to attend Iliff School of Theology. She graduated from Iliff in 2008, receiving a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis on children, youth, and families. While at Iliff, she was also co-chair for the United Methodist Society, co-chair for the Student Senate, and youth minister at a United Methodist church in the area. In November of last year, Adam began working as a geologist for Anadarko Petroleum in The Woodlands, Texas, where they now live. Meredeth looks forward to meeting everyone at Bear Creek and becoming part of the church family here.

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Faye Brown, Wedding Coordinator

Faye Brown, Wedding CoordinatorFaye has been a member of Bear Creek United Methodist Church since 1985 and on the staff since July, 1988. She has the responsibility for all the weddings performed at the Church. She is married to Bucky Brown and between the two of them, they have 8 children, 19 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. She loves her position and the wonderful opportunity she has to be of service to the wedding party as a representative of our church.



Charla Burleson, Administrative Assistant

Charla Burleson, Administrative AssistantCharla has been a member of Bear Creek United Methodist Church for almost 30 years and has served on the Church Staff for more than 16 years. She and Larry, her husband of 36 years, raised their 3 children in the children’s and youth ministries here at Bear Creek UMC. She enjoys the many connections she has made throughout the years and the sense of family that BCUMC offers. As Administrative Assistant, she has come to know several different pastors and their families and continues to stay in touch with them. Change is the only constant in Life and to this she simply says, “This is the day the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” Psalm 118:24

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Karen Hill, Program and Administrative Assistant

Karen Hill, Program and Administrative AssistantKaren has been employed at Bear Creek United Methodist Church since January 2004. She joined the church in 1998 with her husband Howard and son Peyton. She has been married for 25 years and their son is attending University of Houston. She is a member of Genesis Sunday School Class. She also has a two step-children, Katie and Myers, with four grandsons and one granddaughter, she cherishes time with them all. She really enjoys her work with all the programs and all of her involvement with Bear Creek UMC.

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Will Knuckols, Ministry Intern

Will Knuckols is joining the Bear Creek staff as a Ministry Intern from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. Will is married to Janis; they have two children, Jay and Olivia; and the family are members at First UMC Rosenberg. Since it is best for candidates for the ministry to do their educational internship in a location other than their home church, we are blessed to be the setting for Will’s Ministry Internship through Perkins. Will’s work with us for the next twelve months will be on a part-time basis, and his tasks will be defined primarily by the model for Internship that Perkins provides to us. We are Will’s teaching congregation! The Lay Teaching Committee that will lead Will through the next year is comprised of Bob Clapp, Laura Mann, Karen Hill, Jim Peyton, Bob and Joyce Evans, and Jim Miltenberger. We are blessed to have received a substantial gift from the Perkins School of Theology Foundation to fund this internship.

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Lauren Koenig, Communications Consultant

Lauren Koenig, Director of CommunicationsLauren has been a member of Bear Creek United Methodist Church since her confirmation, almost 20 years ago. She returned to Bear Creek UMC after college at Southwestern University, graduate school at the University of South Carolina, and marrying Rick here at Bear Creek UMC. She came to work at Bear Creek UMC in November 2004. Lauren and Rick have two daughters, Clara and Elise.

Laurie Mattingly, Director of BCUMC School

Laurie graduated from Texas Christian University and taught kindergarten in her “life before children”. Laurie and Wade have been married for over thirty years and enjoy spending time with their three daughters, two sons-in-law and five grandchildren. Over the years Laurie has taught and directed in preschool and Mother’s Day Out programs. In addition to being an active volunteer in her church and her daughters' schools, Laurie served many years as the founding Director of Children’s Ministries at a local church in Houston. Serving as director of the Bear Creek UMC School has brought her full circle back into the world of early childhood education and it brings her great joy to partner in ministry with the life of Bear Creek United Methodist Church.

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James Sharp, Director of Communications

James and his wife Jill have been married for 15 years and have two adorable children, Jaxon and Jaden. He and Jill stay busy shuttling the kids to dance, cheer and hockey. James is a member of the Seekers Sunday School Class at BCUMC. He enjoys spending time with his family, digital photography, and driving his 1969 Camaro.

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Chris Smith; Campus, Calendar and Facilities Coordinator

Chris Smith, Director of Family Life MinistriesChris has been a member at Bear Creek United Methodist Church since moving to Houston with her husband and daughter in 1993. She has been on staff since 2002 when the Family Life Center opened and she became the FLC Director. Chris and Pat have been married for 30 exciting years and their greatest accomplishment together has been raising Laura and watching her grow into the beautiful woman she is today. Her interests in which Pat shares with her include mission and outreach projects, woodworking and fishing.


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Laura Stinnett, Director of Ministries for Families with Children

Laura StinnettLaura Stinnett is a native Houstonian. Laura and her family lived in the Memorial area and grew up at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Laura graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana with a degree in Christian Education specializing in Children’s Ministries. Laura is also certified in Christian Education from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. Within her 15 plus years of ministry, Laura has served several churches within the Texas Annual Conference. Laura is active in the National Christian Educator’s Fellowship along with the Texas Annual Conference Christian Educator’s Chapter. Laura’s family consists of parents, Ed and Mary Martha Stinnett, older sister Susan, older brother Randy and sister-in-law Richelle. Laura loves to shop and basically be a “big kid.” Laura is excited to be at Bear Creek where she can minister and grow with the children and families.

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Frank Votaw, Facilities Services Director

Frank Votaw, Facilities Services DirectorFrank grew up in St. Louis, MO and upon graduation from the University of Missouri moved to Houston in 1972. He and his wife of thirty years, Andrea, have two children, Ryan and Emily, and they have lived in the Bear Creek area since 1977. Prior to joining the BCUMC staff in February 2000, he worked for over twenty years in the structural design of chemical plants and fossil/nuclear fueled power plants. He is an avid soccer fan. Frank loves being a member of the BCUMC family!

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Matt Wallace, Director of Music

Originally from Nederland, Texas, Matt Wallace grew up playing between the pews at First United Methodist Nederland where his father was Music Director. He went on to graduate from Sam Houston State University with a degree in vocal performance in 2008, having performed as featured soloist with the nationally recognized SHSU Chorale. He also made his professional opera debut in 2009 with the Sugar Land Opera. During his time in college, Matt found a home in church music which led him to an opportunity to accompany the First United Methodist Madisonville Choir and act as worship leader for the contemporary service. In 2008 Matt married his childhood friend and college sweetheart, Megan. Matt and Megan are looking forward to making a life in the Houston area and sharing it with Bear Creek UMC.

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