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THE EAST DISTRICT

The East District of the Texas Annual Conference is comprised of 112 churches in 15 counties of Deep East Texas. We have 75 charges served by 86 pastors.
Of our pastors, 30 are Elders. Three are seminary students and another 10 are Probationary or Associate Members of the Conference. About half of our pastors (42) are Full-time or Part-time Local Pastors. Fifteen of our pastors are supplying pulpits in their retirement. One of our small churches is being served by a layperson.

Our large number of Local Pastors gives us the highest percentage of Local Pastors in the Texas Conference. In this respect we are reflective of the changes that are occurring in the denomination as a whole. We are proud to be the bellwether district for the Conference, and are helping to identify and prepare for the changes that will come our way as the percentage of Local Pastors grows across the United Methodist Church and the Texas Annual Conference.

As the site of Texas’ first Methodist presence, McMahan Chapel, we are the oldest district in the Texas Conference. Over the years we have been known by many names: San Augustine, Timpson, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and presently the “East” District. But by any name, we are Methodist!

We are the largest district in the conference geographically, with over 10,000 square miles of beautiful forest land. Our ministries are organized around our largest eight “hub” churches. These “First Churches” are located in Lufkin, Livingston, Nacogdoches, Jasper, Henderson, Carthage, Center, and Crockett. 

Among the great ministries of this district is the Wesley Foundation at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. We are happy to “boast in the Lord” of all the creative ministries carried out by the United Methodist students at SFASU. This is one of the strongest university ministries in the state.

The East District is centrally located in the Texas Conference. All of the other eight district offices are located within 125 miles of our district office. The geographical center of the Conference is located in this district, between Corrigan and Groveton. As such, we are pleased to open our doors to a large number of committee meetings and other Conference events.

We are a district that embraces our past, finds excitement in the present, and looks forward to the future with great enthusiasm. We invite you to come visit us!