Pastors for Texas Children has named Holly Gaskill Bandel executive director, succeeding founder Charles Foster Johnson, who is focusing on expanding the national network.
Founded in 2013, Pastors for Texas Children works to connect congregations with local schools, educate faith leaders on public education issues and advocate for policies that serve the common good of Texas children, families, and communities. This Texas model now has spawned Pastors for Children, a national organization dedicated to planting state affiliates across the country.
“The work we began in Texas has demonstrated the power of pastors and congregations standing together for children and their public schools,” Johnson said. “Pastors for Children will take that witness beyond Texas, building a network of state affiliates and ensuring that the voices of faith leaders who believe in strong public schools are heard in Washington.”
Holly Gaskill Bandel
Bandel brings more than 25 years of pastoral leadership, nonprofit experience and community engagement to her new role. She has been involved with Pastors for Texas Children since 2018 and has extensive experience building partnerships between churches, public schools and communities.
Bandel currently serves as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Sachse, Texas, a Dallas suburb. Previously, she served as executive associate minister at First United Methodist Church Dallas, where her responsibilities included mission and community ministries, public education advocacy and school partnerships. Her ministry career also includes leadership positions at Stonebridge United Methodist Church, Creekwood United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church Plano and Anna United Methodist Church.
“I have seen firsthand what happens when congregations build genuine relationships with their neighborhood public schools,” Bandel said. “Our schools are at the heart of our communities, and supporting the children, educators and families they serve is an important expression of our faith. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Pastors for Texas Children and to work alongside clergy and congregations across Texas in this important ministry.”
A native of Wylie, Texas, Bandel earned a bachelor of social work degree from the University of North Texas and a master of divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. She was ordained an elder in the North Texas Conference (now Horizon Texas Conference) of The United Methodist Church in 2003.