WE weLCOME our special GUESTs rev. teresa “terri” hord owens and rev. Dr. Eric C. Smith

Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens is the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She is the first person of color and second woman to lead the denomination, and the first woman of African descent to lead a mainline denomination.

Elected in 2017, Rev. Hord Owens was re-elected to a second term as General Minister and President in 2023. Her ministry actively reflects the Disciples’ priority of being an anti-racist church, being a movement for wholeness, welcoming all to the Lord’s table as God has welcomed us. Her exhortation to the church is “Let’s be the church we say we are. It is in being who we say we are that we actively bear witness to God’s limitless love for all.”

Rev. Hord Owens earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and her MDiv from the University of Chicago Divinity School, where she subsequently served as Dean of Students for 12 years. Rev. Hord Owens’ resume includes more than 20 years of leadership in corporate America leading diverse teams in data management. She serves on the National Council of Churches as the Treasurer of the Governing Board and is a member of the World Council of Churches Central Committee.

Rev. Hord Owens is married to Walter Owens, Jr. They are the proud parents of an adult son, W. Mitchell Owens, III and daughter-in-law Adriana Owens. She is also the joyful grandmother of Zachary Owens.

Rev. Dr. Eric C. Smith joins us as a guest Bible lecturer and workshop leader. Rev. Smith is on the faculty at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO, where he teaches in the areas of New Testament and early Christianity and co-directs the Doctor of Ministry in Prophetic Leadership program. He is also Teaching Minister at First Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC) in suburban Denver. The author of four books and numerous articles and chapters, Rev. Smith enjoys the outdoors, writing, and cooking. He and Jessa have three children.