The PEOPLE WE PAY
a.k.a. our pastoral staff
lead evangelist
REV. DR. KATIE HAYS
KATIE (she/her) went to M.I.T. before she moved on from engineering (which she really liked, but was really terrible at) to theology. She was educated for traditional church ministry at Yale Divinity School (M.Div.) and Princeton Theological Seminary (D.Min.). She did traditional church ministry for almost 20 years.
Galileo Church is Katie’s attempt to do something completely different, because she had an epiphany while sprawled on the floor of a Spring Creek BBQ. You can ask her about that when you meet her in person.
Katie has a husband of maaaaaaany years, Professor Lance Pape of Brite Divinity School, whom she has repeatedly asked to call her “Reverend Doctor.” And their kids are now actually young adults — wicked smart, super nerds, unusually kind, with a hunger for justice — who are also co-conspirators with Galileo Church. Lydia and Jack will make your life better just by knowing them.
Katie has learned to love it when God takes an unexpected hard left turn, tires squealing, seat belts locking, cars all around God honking in indignation. She imagines God shouting, “Buckle up, suckers!” every time God gets another one of us in God’s muscle car. Or, in the words of a Yiddish proverb she’s fond of, “God is an earthquake, not an uncle.”
Katie has written a handful of books, all of them about or inspired by Galileo Church. Find out more about her writing and other stuff at katiehays.net.
worship architect & Tactical Officer
STEPHANIE HORD
STEPHANIE (pronouns: she/her/hers) is originally from Houston, TX, and has been living in DFW since 2016. She got a B.A. in Music Business from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX, and subsequently realized her love for music and its ability to build community.
Stephanie is passionate about God’s love and justice for all in the world and is constantly pursuing how the intersections of music, design, and technology can reach and create vibrant communities within this world God still loves. Steph swears by the inexplicable nature of music to give a beautiful common voice to our shared human experience and loves when she can hear that in practice every Sunday evening of the world at Galileo Church.
INSIDE-OUT PASTOR
DEANNE (she/her) is attending Brite Divinity School to earn the remaining credits of a Masters of Divinity Equivalency and is pursuing her call to chaplaincy ministry. As an LGBTQ person of faith, she knows the crucial and important work the church and its people do for the LGBTQ community and the world around them. Having been on the receiving end of this work, she feels a call to take part in it.
As her own faith has grown, shifted and developed over the years, she has grown passionate about walking alongside others as they do the hard work of sorting out their own journeys of faith. She is grateful for Galileo’s sponsorship for ordination with Disciples of Christ and proud to be a part of this community.
Youngster Czar
JOHN (he/him) recently graduated from Brite Divinity School and holds an M.A. Theology & Ministry. Deciding to take a leap of faith and move across the country mid-2020, John landed in a (previously unimaginable) beautiful community in Fort Worth, found Galileo Church, and met his partner, Anna. John also holds a B.A. in Religion and Spanish from Wabash College.
Growing up in fundagelical churches of origin in rural Indiana, John discovered the joy and meaning of being in a faith community at Galileo, and then the joy of doing ministry. You may find John tending to sourdough starters and baking, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, seeking out trees to climb and practicing yoga, or in awe of something about language. John finds joy being absorbed in conversation, in stillness of thoughts with nature, and in shared work with friends.
After a year as Student Minister, John is super excited to continue nurturing Galileo’s first evangelistic priority: the faith formation of the church’s kids. As an educator, John finds beauty and meaning in creating space where patience and empathy flourish, and in holding and extending that space for others to feel safe and supported as they learn.