Elected Officers

Amy Thomas, Chair – contact Amy

Amy Thomas started ringing as a teenager in her home church Lakewood UMC in North Little Rock, AR. She continued to play in college and served as Handbell Director at First UMC in Russellville, AR, while also playing at First UMC Hot Springs. She taught band and elementary music before completing her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing. She spent 5 years as a US Army Nurse, then 15 years as a Certified Nurse Midwife. During this time, she restarted a defunct handbell choir at Hibben UMC in Mt. Pleasant, SC. They quickly grew from a 3-octave choir to a 5-octave/7 octaves chime choir. She spent a season playing with the Palmetto Bronze Handbell Ensemble, a community group in the Charleston, SC area.

Amy became full time Director of Music at Hibben UMC and helped establish the Lowcountry Handbell Festival, partnering with the Palmetto Bronze Handbell Ensemble. In August 2022, she accepted the position as Director of Handbell Ministries at First UMC, Round Rock, Texas. She currently directs 3 adult bell ensembles, a youth bell ensemble and a children’s ensemble. The groups regularly participate in worship in addition to performing an annual Christmas concert, “Ring Noel,” and a Pops concert in early May. Both events raise money for a ministry or mission of the church and surrounding community.

Stephen Wurst, Chair Elect – contact Stephen

Stephanie Rhoades, Past Chair – contact Stephanie

Stephanie Rhoades is Director of Worship & Music at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX, where she directs the Sanctuary Ringers and a newly formed beginning choir. She is also the Conductor and Artistic Director of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, an auditioned community ensemble known for its artistry and musical sensitivity.

She frequently serves as a clinician and guest conductor for numerous handbell workshops and festivals across the US each year.

She currently serves as Chair of the Area 9 Board of Handbell Musicians of America.

She holds a BA degree in music from Yale University and a Master of Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. Her non-musical interests include cycling, triathlons, and scuba diving.

Megan Corey, Secretary – contact Megan

Megan Corey currently rings with the Tulsa Festival Ringers and at Boston Avenue
United Methodist Church in downtown Tulsa. She began ringing at McFarlin
Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma, joining an ensemble in
fifth grade and developing a lifelong love of handbells.
She was selected for the National Youth Handbell Ensemble in 2016–2019 and
was named National Youth Handbell Musician of the Year in her first year. In
2021, she returned in a leadership role at the invitation of director Kevin
McChesney after aging out of eligibility. During 2021–2022, she served as
Handbell Intern at McFarlin Memorial, assisting six ensembles and occasionally
directing. She has participated in Area 9 events and previously taught festival
classes on technique and beginner bell tree.
Megan earned her bachelor’s degree in health and Exercise Science with a minor
in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and completed her Doctorate in
Occupational Therapy in 2025. She works as an Occupational Therapist at a rural
critical access hospital, serving patients across the lifespan.
She is honored to serve the Area 9 community and support handbell ministry
throughout the region.

Jeanne Christopherson, Treasurer – contact Jeanne

Jeanne Christopherson grew up in Northern California and has been involved in music since the age of 12. In 1990, she registered for a college handbell course and was instantly hooked. In 1997, after moving to the Dallas area and substituting several times in rehearsal with the Dallas Handbell Ensemble, she was invited by Arnold Sherman to join East Texas Handbell Ensemble in Tyler and rang with them until the group disbanded in 2014. She served on the planning committee for the original Pinnacle (2000), an AGEHR event designed for the performing ringer. She subsequently co-chaired Pinnacle 2002 and was chair for Pinnacle 2004. She currently rings with Concert Bells of Fort Worth and the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Ringers in Dallas. She retired from her day job in 2022 after 22 years as an Executive Assistant for technology executives with Bank of America and now amuses herself with her home-based custom cookie decorating business. Jeanne and her husband, Brian, live in Plano with their two rambunctious pups. They are the proud parents of two grown children and enjoy spending time with their two wonderful grandchildren, ages 16 and 2, as often as possible.

Appointed Members

John Staton, Communications – contact John

John Staton has been directing handbell choirs for 27 years. His handbell directing career began (on a temporary basis) at Linwood United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. Twenty-seven years later, he is still directing. For the last 21 years he has been the handbell choir director at Quail Springs United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City where he also serves as staff accompanist. His musical career, since graduation from college, has included both band directing and 25 years as the choral, vocal, elementary consultant for Pender’s Music Company in Oklahoma City. Since retiring recently from that job he has been privileged to have time to ring with the Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble where he also serves as their communication director. His favorite hobbies are flower gardening and crossword puzzles.

Stacie Brown, Education Chair – contact Stacie

Stacie Silvus-Brown has been a musician most of her life, currently serves as Worship Team Leader and director of Jubellee Ringers at Trinity United Methodist Church in San Antonio, TX. She is a graduate of UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Music. Stacie was introduced to handbells in 1985 when the church she was attending started a ringing group and has been a bell enthusiast ever since. She recently retired after 36 years of teaching, 25 of those years as a Music Specialist in Northside ISD in San Antonio. Stacie was one of the founding members of River City Ringers of San Antonio and currently rings in the ensemble. She also serves on the RCR Board as Member Representative. Since retirement Stacie has been substitute teaching and getting involved with various activities in her community. Stacie has a grown son and resides in San Antonio, Texas.

Vacant, Financial Advisor – Vacant

State Representatives

Brittney Axton, Texas Representative (North) – contact Brittney

Cyndi Erp-Long, Texas Representative (South) – contact Cyndi

Cyndi Erp-Long has been singing and ringing in her church for more than half her life. She is a graduate of Texas Lutheran College, earning a BA in Marketing.  She also holds an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.  Joining the River City Ringers of San Antonio in 2010, and currently President of the group, she enjoys being able to continue to grow as a handbell musician and educate and entertain our audiences on the art of handbell ringing.  She is the Tradeshow and Events Manager for 3M Healthcare, working remotely from her home in San Antonio.  A military ‘brat,’ she settled in San Antonio when she was in 6th grade.  She and her husband Dan enjoy traveling, going to the Texas Wine Country and baseball games, and watching Spurs basketball.