Church Authorities Reorganize Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Prosper, Texas
Kara SchofieldFeatured Photo: Prosper Stake Presidency, left to right, Richie Gillespie, first counselor; Brian Perkes, president; and Matt Lloyd, second counselor. Photo taken by Rich Thrasher.
The Prosper Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced changes in the stake presidency, which governs nearly 3,400 members living in Prosper, Frisco, McKinney, and Celina. The new stake presidency was announced Sunday, April 30, 2023, in a meeting for all Prosper Stake members as follows: Brian C. Perkes, president; Richie W. Gillespie, first counselor; and Matthew W. Lloyd, second counselor.
These three men did not apply for the position but were called by inspiration. To assist in the change, leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came on an assignment from one of the Twelve Apostles in Salt Lake City, Utah. Elder Jose L. Alonso, a General Authority Seventy, and Elder Jorge A. Contreras, an Area Seventy, presided over the meetings.
When speaking about the changeover to the congregation, Elder Contreras said, “The question needs to be, ‘Now what?’ We have a new stake presidency. They will be listening to the Lord. President Perkes… will have the spirit of revelation to understand what the Lord wants the stake to achieve.”
Their volunteer work referred to as callings will likely require nearly a decade of unpaid service. This means the three men will also continue to pursue their individual careers in addition to serving the members of the Church of Jesus Christ in this area. President Perkes, a resident of Frisco for over 23 years, is a senior investment consultant at Thornburg. President Gillespie is a vice president at LiveView Technologies, while President Lloyd maintains an endodontics practice in McKinney. Both Gillespie and Lloyd have been Prosper residents for over a decade.
“Our Savior Jesus Christ died for each one of you, and me,” said President Perkes. “All He asks is that we come unto him and let him in our lives…. I know that when we do, we will be changed, because I have been changed. As I open my heart and humbly ask my Savior to answer my questions, He does.”
A stake president is the lay leader of a stake, which is a geographic subdivision. He oversees church programs in the area comprised of individual congregations called wards and is responsible for helping the members of his stake in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. He also oversees the activities of the bishops (or local congregation leaders), counseling them as needed. The Prosper Texas Stake presidency is assisted by a group of twelve men called a high council. These leaders have a significant amount of local autonomy to make decisions regarding the members in their stake. A stake president typically serves for about nine years.
The previous president, Richard B. Platt, served in that position beginning in May 2014 over the Frisco Texas Shawnee Trail Stake; as membership increased in the area, he was asked to lead the new Prosper Texas Stake in August of 2019. He was released from his calling with a vote of love and appreciation from members present in the congregation.
Kara Schofield lives with her husband, nearly grown youngest, and the family doodle in the Prosper Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She can often be found at one keyboard or another: writing, documenting personal and family history, accompanying school choirs, and learning how to play jazz music. Her greatest joys are her four children and their spouses, a sizable extended family, pies, mountains, and Jesus Christ.
