Nick McRae is an ordained elder in the Horizon Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. He grew up in rural northwest Georgia and moved to Texas in 2013. Originally intending to be an English professor, Nick earned a B.A. from the University of West Georgia, an M.F.A. from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Texas, where he taught English composition and creative writing. After discerning a call to pastoral ministry, he earned an M.Div. from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Nick pastored United Methodist con-gregations in Sachse, Flower Mound, and Forney before coming to Decatur in 2023. He is passionate about Christ-centered biblical preaching, evangelistic outreach, and equipping all Christians to participate in the work of ministry. In addition to his parish ministry at First Decatur, Nick serves as a commissioned officer and chaplain in the Texas State Guard, providing spiritual support and pastoral care to fellow service members and their families and supporting Texans during disaster-response operations. Nick is married to Annie, a part-time audiologist and full-time Super-Mom. Together they have three little girls: twins Eve and Adah, named after the first two women called by name in the Bible (see Genesis 3:20 and 4:19), and little sister Lydia, named after the first Christian convert in Europe (see Acts 16:14-15).