Pastor Matt joined First Christian Church in January 2024. He is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Matt completed his Master of Divinity degree at Brite Divinity School on the campus of Texas Christian University in May of 2013.
Ministry is a second career for Matt, who spent ten years as the Plant Manager of a small family-owned manufacturing company in Detroit, MI. Matt began to hear God's call to ministry after returning to the church with his wife, Julie. He participated in and led Bible Studies, Sunday school classes, joined in contemporary worship music, and traveled with Julie to Zambia, Africa as a missionary. His participation in these ministries led Matt to follow God's call into ordained ministry.
Matt is a sports fan, enjoys football and hockey particularly, and follows all the Cleveland sports teams, Michigan State University (Go Green!) and the Detroit Red Wings. He is also a fan of science fiction and mythological movies. His favorites are Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Harry Potter, and The Highlander. Matt & Julie like to vacation at Disney World and are particularly fond of Epcot. Matt enjoys good music and likes to play his guitar and sing.
Director of Music Ministries
Betty Taylor
Betty Taylor was born and raised in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, and earned a master’s degree in Organ at the University of Oklahoma.
She taught school for 27 years in Campbell, Mesquite and Rockwall before retiring. She is still teaching private piano lessons, as she has done for 50 years. Over the length of her career as a church accompanist and music director, she has served Seventh Day Adventist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Disciples of Christ Churches. She has served here at First Christian Rockwall for 35 years.
Betty has four children, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
