Presenters

Preacher, Thursday Eucharist
Jeff Fisher

Preacher, Thursday Eucharist

Jeff Fisher

Bio: The Rt. Rev. Jeff W. Fisher serves as the regional bishop for the East Region of the Diocese. He was elected bishop suffragan and consecrated in 2012. In addition to his visitations to parishes and missions, Bishop Fisher serves as executive for pastoral ministries, including care for active and retired clergy and their families. He serves on numerous boards and institutions, including the diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Episcopal Seniors Foundation, Global Partners in Mission, the Small Church Network, Vera Gang Scott Scholarship Committee, All Saints’ Episcopal School in Tyler, Daughters of the King, and Altar Guild.

Bishop Fisher is known for his compelling preaching, his focus on evangelism and his encouragement of the laity. He teaches homiletics at the Iona School for Ministry. A graduate of The University of Texas, Austin, Bishop Fisher was previously CFO for Hand Benefits & Trust, Inc., Houston.

He received a Master in Divinity in 2004 and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity in 2013, both from Virginia Theological Seminary. Ordained in 2004, Bishop Fisher served as curate at St. Mary’s, Cypress, before being called as rector at St. Alban’s, Waco, where he ushered in a time of unprecedented growth.

Bishop Fisher and his wife Susan have two adult sons, Scott and John.

Church Relations Coordinator, Forward Movement | Tucson, AZ
Taylor Devine

Church Relations Coordinator, Forward Movement | Tucson, AZ

Taylor Devine

Workshop: Discipleship and Families

"The Lord is my shepherd: Discipleship for parents": What does discipleship look like in the midst of bottles, diapers, backpacks, and sports equipment? Taylor Devine will offer a workshop on discipleship for parents and caregivers, designed to support church leaders in their work with families and parents in their own life stage and setting. Drawing on her work with hundreds of families and years of research and prayerful conversation, she will share wise practices for churches and communities of any size.

Bio: Taylor Devine is Church Relations Coordinator for the Center for Discipleship and Renewal at Forward Movement.

Curate, San Andrés Episcopal Church | Brooklyn, NY
Miguel Escobar

Curate, San Andrés Episcopal Church | Brooklyn, NY

Miguel Escobar

Workshop: Discipleship and Baptism

Jesus-focused Discipleship. Jesus is the most interesting thing about the church. Oftentimes, the church thinks it is really interesting and makes formation about the church itself, when really the church is at its best when it serves to point to Jesus, his person and his message. In this workshop, we’ll wrestle with how one's community, preaching, and teaching can best reflect some of the main messages that Jesus has about wealth and poverty in the Gospels.

Bio: The Rev. Miguel Escobar is a recently ordained priest who is currently serving a two-year curacy at San Andrés Episcopal Church in Sunset Park Brooklyn.

Previously, he served as director of Anglican Studies at Episcopal Divinity School at Union (2017-2023), and was managing program director for leadership, communications and external affairs at the Episcopal Church Foundation (2010-2017). The Rev. Escobar earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2007 and served as the communications assistant to then-Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori from 2007 to 2010. He is a past chair of the board of directors of Forward Movement and now serves as co-chair of the Friends of Forward Movement board.

The Rev. Escobar grew up in the Texas hill country and attended Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, where he studied the Roman Catholic social justice tradition, Latin American liberation theologies, and minored in Spanish. He joined the Episcopal Church through St. Mary’s, West Harlem, drawn by the congregation’s diversity and commitment to social justice.

Rector, Grace Episcopal Church and School | Houston, TX
Ryan Hawthorne

Rector, Grace Episcopal Church and School | Houston, TX

Ryan Hawthorne

Workshop: Beyond Welcome: Belonging as Discipleship
 
The vocation of Christian community is not simply to extend welcome or ensure that people feel welcomed when the walk through our door. It is to nurture belonging, so that each person comes to know they belong in and have a meaningful place in the body of Christ. In this workshop we will explore practical ways to help your community move from inclusion to belonging and deepen their practice of discipleship through that process.
Bio: ​The Rev. Ryan Hawthorne is a lifelong Texan and revels in the great joy of raising Noelle, a super cool teenager. Ryan loves exploring ministry and theology on the edge and at the intersections of race, class, and gender/sexuality. In her free time Ryan enjoys exploring Houston and any activity involving water. 
Vicar, Mosaic Episcopal Church | Pearland, TX
Joseph Yoo

Vicar, Mosaic Episcopal Church | Pearland, TX

Joseph Yoo

Workshop Title

Workshop description coming soon.

Bio: Joseph Yoo is the vicar of Mosaic Episcopal Church in Pearland, Texas. You can find him at josephyoo.com.

Canon for Congregational & Mission Vitality | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas
Perry Mullins

Canon for Congregational & Mission Vitality | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Perry Mullins

Workshop: Stewardship as Discipleship

Intentional stewardship forms us, both personally and corporately. This workshop is for leaders who want to design a system that does both, starting with the questions underneath the pledge card: What do we actually own? What does it cost to give something away? And how does a congregation keep those questions alive in June as well as October? Participants will work with practical tools: how leaders model sacrificial giving, how a parish learns to talk about money out loud, and how formation, testimony, and the annual ask reinforce one another.

Bio: Rev. Mullins will oversee the team that partners with our congregations in the work of church planting, campus missions, missional communities, area mission, multi-ethnic ministry, and congregational vitality. He will begin this position in late September.

Rev. Mullins comes to the Diocese from McKinney, Texas where he has served as rector of St. Peter’s since 2017. Bishop Doyle notes, “I am excited about Perry’s arrival and look forward to his leadership in carrying forward our Faith in the Future work.” Rev. Mullins grew up in the Dallas area and holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He earned his M.Div. from the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin and was ordained in 2014. His wife, Sarah, works in digital marketing, and they have two children: Lucas (9) and Maggie (4).

Chief of Staff & Ministry Operations, Forward Movement | Dallas, TX

Chief of Staff & Ministry Operations, Forward Movement | Dallas, TX

Melody Shobe

Workshop: Coming Soon

Workshop description coming soon.

Bio: Melody Shobe is Chief of Staff & Ministry Operations at Forward Movement.

Chief of Discipleship, Forward Movement | Tucson, AZ

Chief of Discipleship, Forward Movement | Tucson, AZ

Robert Hendrickson

Opening Plenary: What is Discipleship?

Plenary description coming soon.

Bio: Robert Hendrickson joined Forward Movement in fall 2025 as Chief of Discipleship after 9 years as Rector of St. Philip’s in the Hills in Tucson, AZ.

Executive Director, Forward Movement | Cincinnati, OH

Executive Director, Forward Movement | Cincinnati, OH

Scott Gunn

Workshop: Coming Soon

Workshop description coming soon.

Bio: Scott Gunn is Executive Director at Forward Movement.