Rev. Luis E. Ramirez
Founding Pastor
Pastor Luis was born in Stillwater, OK and raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He is a graduate of the Moores School of Music and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston where he studied Opera Performance, Italian and Spanish. He received his Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.
Pastor Luis has been active in ministry and in the community through Walk to Emmaus, Kairos Prison Ministry International, United Way, Meals on Wheels, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, SHSU Charter School, UPWARD™ Soccer, Spring ISD Ministerial Alliance, Northwest Area Assistance Ministries, and UM ARMY.
In the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, he has served as the Founding Pastor of Misión Milby UMC in Houston, as the Associate Pastor at Servants of Christ UM Parish, also in Houston, as the Associate Pastor at Cedar Bayou Grace UMC in Baytown, as the Senior Pastor of Spring Community Church in Spring, and as the Senior Pastor of Cedar Bayou Grace UMC. Pastor Luis is the Treasurer of the Conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry and a Mentor to the Conference’s Exploring Candidates for ordained ministry.
His preaching experience includes numerous revivals in Methodist, Episcopal and Church of God in Christ congregations. Pastor Luis has taught conversational Spanish for the Houston Police Department, and Spanish and Integrated Fine Arts for Humble ISD. Locally, he has enjoyed a singing career with the Moores Opera Center, Opera America, the Kingwood Chorale and Chamber Orchestra, many Houston-area churches and fine arts organizations, and numerous recitals and concerts at the churches he has served throughout the years.
Currently, Pastor Luis lives in Baytown with his wife, Heather, their daughter, Isabella, and their dog, Luna, where he serves as the Founding Pastor of a brand new United Methodist church in the Baytown and Mont Belvieu area.
Rev. Ellen E. Thornburg
Associate Pastor
Pastor Ellen was born and raised in the Houston area. She earned a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, an M.A. in Digital Media & B.S. in Psychology from University of Houston-Clear Lake, and an A.A. in Drama at San Jacinto College.
Pastor Ellen has served as a Chaplain at Houston Methodist Hospital in the Emergency Department, Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Cardiac ICU, Neurology ICU, COVID ICU, Palliative Care Department, and Labor & Delivery Unit. She has also been in ministry at Seabrook United Methodist Church and in the community with low-income and homeless support networks, musical programs, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
In 2023 Pastor Ellen was commissioned as one of the newest Provisional Elders in the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC. She lives in Baytown where it is her joy to serve as an associate pastor to this brand new United Methodist church.
Rev. Clayton Hall
Associate Pastor
Pastor Clayton is a native of Chambers County, TX. His family moved from Anahuac to Mont Belvieu when he was one month old. He graduated from Barbers Hill High School and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and English from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. He did graduate work in History at Sam Houston and Secondary Education at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Perkins School of Theology/Houston-Galveston Extension Campus, Southern Methodist University.
Pastor Clayton is a Licensed Local Pastor with the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served previously as the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Mont Belvieu. He is a bi-vocational minister and works for a municipality in eastern Harris County.
In his free time, Pastor Clayton enjoys spending time outdoors camping, hiking, trail running, fishing and hunting. He is also a fan of the theater, both live local plays and film. He is a Marvel movie buff and especially enjoys exploring the places where popular culture and the Gospel intersect. Pastor Clayton lives in Mont Belvieu with his wife, Mindy, and their twin daughters, Lindsey and Meghann. An adult son, Jody, lives in Beaumont.
