About the Couple
Our UME story has changed us in so many wonderful ways and we truly believe our story together with your stories has forever changed UME.
Serving on the UME-MESF International Board since January of 2015 has been a wonderful adventure and opportunity. This adventure has been increased and heightened by our serving nine of the eleven years as Clergy Executive Couple.
In the fall of 2016 when Dave and Ellen Rabuck nominated us, they gave us tremendous advice to pray, seek God, and do His will as the Thomases and be willing to expand the Clergy Executive position to “Follow the Dream”. And we have!
We are praying the next Clergy Executive Couple will apply their “own personal gifting” to this position as the Lord directs them.
It has been exciting and rewarding to serve in a pastoral role by providing Christian Spiritual guidance for the UME-MESF International Board. The Clergy Executive Couple helps provide, vision, focus and prayer support for the UME Ministry.
Involvement in United Marriage Encounter
Here are a few highlights of our service through the years:
- Following Dave and Jeanie Stanley’s example, Cathy and I have emailed every Team Couple on each Weekend presented.
- As Clergy Executive Couple we expanded choosing a verse for each year to include a word and a song.
- On the Aloha March 2017 Weekend, Cathy and I received inspiration to launch a specific “Clergy Emphasis” Weekend in Hawaii set for 9/11-13, 2017. (Though this Weekend was cancelled, the promotional funds raised were released by the donors to fund the Growth and Expansion fund, which had been dormant.)
- On the same March 2017 Aloha Weekend we were also inspired to spiritually energize Communities with a “Follow the Dream - the Quest” program to be held in every active UME Community around the world. We developed and implemented a pilot program held in SE Florida in May of 2017, encouraging communities to remember the dream and our Spiritual roots. After presenting this program to the Board and working with Steve Chapman we expanded this event to “Equip, Celebrate and Praise”. We were grateful for the Board’s affirmation. We developed a promotional video, registration process, and brochure for these events. Steve Chapman developed a checklist for the Communities to prepare for the events and led the “Equipped” portion of the program. We presented a recognition certificate/community covenant to the Community Executive Couple and prayed a prayer of rededication. Each event included an inspiring message, communion and blessing.
- We completed all the Community Events in February of 2020.
- As Clergy Executive Couple we initiated and worked with Steve Chapman to become involved in every ECL, Community Executive Couple Training, and Executive Summit. This also fulfilled the spiritual emphasis God had placed on our hearts for UME. (We have truly enjoyed traveling and working with Steve and Pam Chapman in these events).
- As a result of the Clergy Executive Couples’ expanded role and activities, in 2017 we requested a Clergy Executive Couple Annual Report be added to the FTF UME Board Meeting Agenda.
- Due to our availability, the Thomases have been able to be an emergency stand-by couple for Weekends. To date we have Teamed 65 Weekends.
- We helped develop and facilitate Community events such as, “Fighting the Drift” and “Shine”.
In 2022 as God was revealing, we introduced the concept of the “Paradigm Shift” and laid out 14 points of change. It has unfolded in the last 3 years and will continue into the future as we “Follow the Dream – the Quest”.
- We served on WORC for nine years.
- Served as Chair Couple for Investment Committee since 2016.
After much prayer and dialogue, Cathy and I have peace concerning completing our term as Clergy Executive Couple at the January Board Meeting 2026. We understand God’s timing in knowing when to end one adventure and begin a new one.
Serving on the UME-MESF International Board since January of 2015 has been a wonderful adventure and opportunity. This adventure has been increased and heightened by our serving nine of the eleven years as Clergy Executive Couple.
What is next for us?
Of course, we will continue to be a Clergy Team Couple and serve on the Clergy Application Group. We will continue to support financially Annual Marriage Builders and pray for the UME ministry. We plan to continue contacting local churches in Communities to have a higher stake in participating and supporting United Marriage Encounter. We will continue to be a part of the WCF Community and lead a monthly Core in our home.
It has been a high honor and a privilege to be a part of this vital ministry on the international level; one so dear to God’s heart. This was not an easy decision, however, one we judged it was time to make. This decision is somewhat of a paradigm shift for us as well. As the writer of Ecclesiastes says, “For everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: …”
We love and respect each and every one of you and know God has placed you in His Kingdom for such a time as this. Your story truly matters. As we say in UME, we know, for all of us, “Trust the process” “The best is yet to come.”
With great love and appreciation,
Kendall and Cathy Thomas