Arlington, Church History, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Burleson Texas Stake Created

Updated on March 10, 2020
by Janene Nielsen

The Arlington, Fort Worth and Weatherford Stakes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave birth to the Burleson Stake on September 11, 2016, each contributing two or more wards to the cause.

Under the direction of Elder Bradley D. Foster, of the Seventy, and Karl M. Tilleman, Area Authority, the new Burleson Stake presidency was called: Stake President Kris Dearden of the Arlington Stake, 1^st Counselor Steve Beauchamp of the Fort Worth Stake and 2^nd Counselor Jodie Barrus of the Weatherford Stake.

Pictured (Left to right): Karl M Tilleman, Area Authority; Kris Dearden, Burleson Stake President; Steve Beauchamp, 1st Councelor; Sister Priscilla Baird; Elder Bradley D. Foster, of the Seventy; and Jodie Barrus, 2nd Counselor.

“Being called as Stake President is most assuredly a humbling and emotional experience. It brings one to his knees asking for guidance and direction,” said President Dearden, a 2001 Salt Lake City transplant to Texas. “This new stake is a result of the growth of the Church in the southern area of the DFW metroplex. It’s wonderful to see how the Church is growing and how the church is going ‘smaller’ with the ward and stake structures to get more members involved. It will be exciting to see and witness this new stake grow and emerge from the dust as a beacon of light for many to see and come to.”

A special guest at the event was Sister Priscilla Baird, wife of Alan Baird, the first Branch President of the original Burleson Branch which formed in 1979. She presented a quilt commemorating the formation of the Burleson Stake. The quilt was originally madeby Sister Redd of the Burleson Branch and was presented to President and Sister Baird on the occasion of the completion of the Burleson Branch building in 1985.

“The first meeting for the organization of the [Burleson Branch] was held in our home. My husband Alan Baird was sustained as the branch president. It was a wonderful meeting and a great excitement to all present. Basically it was a testimony meeting of almost all those who came and it was very inspirational.

1983 Ground Breaking of the Burleson Building

“We met in the elementary school every Sunday for five years. We of course wanted a building and tried to convince the decision makers. We were told we needed 60 people in Sacrament meeting for 3 months. When— through lots of visits to people whose names were on the records and who hadn’t been to church for a long time— we got 60, they told us they had raised it to 90. So we kept on encouraging and inviting.

“When we got enough it took a long time to get property and build a building in 1985. Through all this time all activities were held in our house or our barn as we could only use the school on Sunday morning. It was lots of fun and we all worked together to become a real ward. The closeness of our group was very special—lots of friends with testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and willing and able to serve Him and each other.

“The forming of a Stake is so exciting and I am so happy to have been there with three of our children. The General Authorities who came were very kind to me and I was blessed by their presence. I do have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I was very sorry that Alan [who died ten years ago] wasn’t able to be there. Maybe he was; I miss him,” said Sister Baird.