June 12, 2020:
TMF Celebrates Rev. Carol Montgomery Becoming Director of Area Staff
Rev. Carol Montgomery is poised to become the director of area staff following Rev. John Thornburg’s retirement June 12, 2020. Carol joined our staff as TMF’s senior area representative for the North Texas Conference in 2017. In that role, she has been the primary point of engagement between congregational leaders and TMF. She connected North Texas Conference constituents to resources relevant to their unique goals for missional growth in their congregations and communities.
Her outstanding leadership within the North Texas Conference has prepared her for this transition. In her new role, Carol will lead our area staff, a team of seven individuals whose deep love for the church compels them to walk alongside congregational leaders as they discern the future and missional context of their churches, examining generosity, purpose, and courage.
“I am, above all else, grateful to be following the legacy of my friend and mentor John Thornburg,” Carol shared. “I have been thinking about how I would fill his shoes, shoes made of vast wisdom, experience, and relationship. Then I remembered a piece of wisdom I got years back as I followed a beloved pastor as the new pastor. Same shoe dilemma, and someone said, ‘You don’t have to worry about filling her shoes, all you need to do is bring your own.’ Through the course of the past three years I have learned much from my friend John. John taught with deep compassion the skills of courageous leadership, the art of listening well and how to tell meaningful stories from the road. I am quite convinced I will not lead as John has led. Instead, I will lead with all of who I am using the gifts John as given me. In time, I will grow into my own shoes as I stand on the shoulders of John’s legacy and others who have come before.”
Prior to joining TMF, Carol served as an ordained elder in the North Texas Conference in congregational and campus ministries. In addition, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with specialties in family systems and conflict resolution.
A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Montgomery earned a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, TMF is a nonprofit organization offering assistance to United Methodists through investments, loans, grants and leadership, stewardship, gift planning, and endowment services. TMF serves the six United Methodist conferences throughout Texas and New Mexico. Leading from its core values of servanthood, integrity, and competence, TMF has been serving United Methodist congregations for more than 80 years. It is the largest United Methodist foundation in the country with more than $600 million in assets under management. To learn more, please visit tmf-fdn.org.