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Cedar Park First United Methodist welcomes new pastor

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The congregation of Cedar Park First United Methodist Church welcomed their new pastor, Paul Harris, on Sunday, June 15.

Harris previously lived in Bulverde, Texas, and served as the associate pastor at the Bulverde United Methodist Church for the past five years. Harris said he is looking forward to serving in Cedar Park. “We're very excited to be here.”

Growing up the son of a Methodist minister, Harris spent his childhood in different parts of south Texas, though he did live in Austin for a time. When he graduated high school, Harris came back to the Austin area to study at the University of Texas.

As a civil engineering graduate, Harris spent 20 years working in the engineering field. “I like to build things; it's the part of my scientific mind,” he said. “I like seeing the concepts come together.”

Though Harris was originally called to ministry as a teenager, “I deferred it,” he said. However, in 2000, “The Holy Spirit urged me to reconsider that call when I was 38. I started the process to reexamine that call and decided that was the right thing for me at that time of my life.”

Harris, a licensed local pastor, is currently working on the Course of Study for Local Pastors at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He will also be attending Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary this fall to pursue his master's degree in Theology, which is required for ordination, he said.

His pastoral services have included staff positions at Grace United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi, along with Bulverde United Methodist Church near San Antonio.

Harris, along with his wife Laura, is active in music ministry and has been a team leader for disaster response. The Harrises have an 18-year-old son, Ben, who will be attending McMurray University in Abilene this fall.

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