Church of Jesus Christ Organizes New Congregation in Prosper

Featured Photo: Doe Creek Ward Bishopric, left to right, Luke Flinders, first counselor; Manti Su’a, bishop;
and Matt Babcock, second counselor. Photo by Kara Schofield.

The Prosper Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently organized a new
congregation due to membership and population growth in the area. President Brian C. Perkes of Frisco,
President Richie W. Gillespie of Prosper, and President Matthew W. Lloyd of Prosper oversaw the
realignment of boundaries across the stake, which is similar in size to a Catholic diocese and encompasses
areas of Collin and Denton counties.

Congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ are called “wards” or “branches” and are organized
geographically, with boundary realignment occurring whenever necessary so that leaders can minister more
effectively to their congregants. Wards typically maintain a membership of approximately 250 to 375
individuals.

Members of the Church volunteer their time to serve in their congregation, including Sunday School teachers,
weekday religious educators, activity- and service-oriented positions, and parish leaders (called “bishops”).
They balance their commitments alongside their professional, personal, and family responsibilities. Thus,
manageable ward sizes are fundamental to effective operation.

The new Doe Creek Ward encompasses a portion of west Prosper from U.S. 380 north to the Prosper ISD
boundary. The ward is led by Manti Su’a, bishop; Luke Flinders, first counselor; and Matt Babcock, second
counselor.

Flinders is a husband and father of four who works in legal and compliance at a bank, while Babcock is an
Oklahoma native juggling a career in finance and raising two young sons with his wife. These two men will
support Su’a in the administration of his duties and ministering to members’ efforts to follow Jesus Christ.

Su’a, a management consultant who returned to Prosper this spring with his wife and three children after
two years in the Foreign Service, looks forward to his anticipated five years of service as the bishop. “Change
is rarely easy,” he said. However, he continued, “We’re all building this new ward together, and I hope we
can turn it into exactly what Christ would want it to be — a welcoming ward to everyone, regardless of where
you’re from, how long you’ve been here, or where you are in your earthly and spiritual journey.”

Lynsi Hohmann is the women’s ministry leader of 90 adult women in the Doe Creek Ward and echoes Su’a’s
sentiments. “I do believe it is a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know new people in our community of
Prosper…. My hope is that everyone feels valued and loved, and that we create unity.”

The Prosper Texas Stake was formed in May 2019 and is now comprised of seven wards in Prosper ISD’s
geographic area, plus three more congregations of Frisco residents, which includes a congregation for Spanish
speakers. The 3,300 members of the Prosper Texas Stake are a part of the 83,000 members in the Dallas
area. Across the globe, the Church has nearly 31,500 congregations and 17.2 million members, with the
majority living outside the U.S.

Additional information about the Church or meeting times is available by visiting ChurchofJesusChrist.org.